Children still die in Nepal despite truce -groups

KATHMANDU, Aug 4 (Reuters) Children are still dying in Nepal due to the fallout of a conflict between Maoist rebels and the army despite a three-month-old ceasefire between both sides, a network of child rights groups today said.

Four children have been killed by stray bombs lying in parts of the Himalayan country while two have been killed by armed groups and another two committed suicide after being detained by Maoists.

The Children as Zones of Peace-National Campaign, a network of local and international groups, said the fatalities were children aged between three and 19 years.

''Although the conflict has ended, children are still falling victims to incidents related with it,'' the group said in a statement.

''The problem of children has not been given priority in the agreements between the Maoist rebels and the government.'' Both sides have held three rounds of peace talks since the truce earlier this year that ended the decade-old conflict which has killed more than 13,000 people, hundreds of them children.

The multi-party government was set up after King Gyanendra was forced to give up his absolute power in April following mass pro-democracy protests, which were backed by the rebels.

The parties and the Maoists had agreed on a political road map in November 2005 including an interim government to oversee elections to a special assembly which will decide the country's future political set-up and the role of the monarchy, if any.

REUTERS SY HS1702