By Sushil Sharma BBC correspondent in Kathmandu

At least 24 Maoist rebels have been killed in Nepal in the latest clash with the security forces, the authorities say.

Officials say total rebel casualties now stand at 150 since government forces mounted a fresh offensive against them last week.

A Defence Ministry statement issued on Wednesday said the rebels had died in a single clash at Pabang village in the remote western hill district of Rolpa on Tuesday.

There has been no comment from the rebels yet.

Rebel stronghold

The Defence Ministry statement issued in the capital, Kathmandu, said many more rebels may have died in this latest clash.

Several soldiers were killed in the latest clash

It quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the rebels had carried 30 bodies away.

The ministry said that three soldiers had died and others had been injured in the exchange of fire.

Rolpa is a key rebel stronghold where an intensive security offensive has been continuing for some time.

Rising toll

Independent confirmation of the official claims is difficult to obtain because of communication problems in remote hill areas where the security offensive has been underway.

The offensive was stepped up following some very heavy rebel attacks on army barracks and police stations earlier this month.

More than 100 security personnel were killed in those attacks.

Some 5,000 people have now died since the Maoists began an armed struggle six years ago to replace Nepal's constitutional monarchy with a communist republic.