NEPAL: Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, was largely cut off from the rest of the country yesterday after communist rebels threatened to attack any vehicles travelling on main roads.
They staged a virtual blockade of the city to press their demands to release jailed members of their movement.
Roads leading out of the capital were deserted, and the only way in or out for most travellers was by air, although few in this impoverished Himalayan kingdom can afford to fly. At the city's main bus station, hundreds of people were stranded, with no vehicles leaving the city.
There were no reports of rebels setting up barricades on the roads, but the insurgents were believed to be monitoring routes, and drivers feared they would be attacked if they used them.
The rebels said last week that they would attack vehicles for an indefinite period from now on, to pressure the government immediately to release jailed guerrillas.
The government promised to provide security to travellers on the roads, but their assurance appeared to mean little to the public.
The rebels say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong and have been fighting since February 1996 to replace Nepal's monarchy with a communist state. The insurgency has claimed more than 9,500 lives.
The last round of peace talks broke down in August 2003. - (AP)