Soldiers in Nepal have killed at least 50 Maoist rebels in overnight clashes, according to the army.
Elsewhere, up to 500 political activists were reported arrested by police during pro-democracy rallies in the kingdom.
The Nepali army said its troops killed the rebels after the insurgents attacked their base using rocket launchers and mortars in one of the deadliest battles of the past two months.
An army statement said that many more, possibly hundreds, of Maoists could have died in the fighting and soldiers had recovered 31 weapons, including AK-47 assault rifles. These figures have not been verified.
The latest assault by the rebels, who want to overthrow the monarchy and establish a communist republic, comes after an attack five weeks ago in which the army said its forces had killed at least 50 rebels in the western Bardiya district.
