Maoist rebels attacked several police posts

In one of the worst clashes between the police and the rebels since the start of the trouble, 30 policemen were killed and 14 wounded in the western district of Rukum.

More than 70 officers were said to be at the police post at the time of the rebel attack.

A home ministry spokesman told the BBC that details are still awaited.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Ram Chandra Poudel, who is also home minister, has rushed to the area along with senior police officials.

Rebel silence

In a separate incident in the north-eastern district of Dolakha, five policemen and three rebels were killed in clashes.

Police believe 10 more rebels died in the fighting.

The rebels want a Communist republic

There have also been reports of clashes in other areas, and minor explosions in the capital, Kathmandu. But no one has been injured.

There has been no immediate word from the rebels about any of these incidents.

About 1,600 people have died since the underground Maoist Communist Party launched the insurgency in February 1996, to replace the multi party parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy with a Communist republic.

Following recent domestic and international pressure, both the government and the rebels said that they were ready for peace talks.

But efforts to bring the two sides to the negotiation table have so far failed.