Nepalese troops kill 85 Maoist rebels

KATMANDU, Nepal, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Nepalese troops killed at least 85 Maoist rebels in gun battles in western parts of the Himalayan kingdom, government officials said Monday.

The Defense Ministry said its troops raided several hideouts of Maoist rebels, who had gunned down 150 troops last week in Accham district.

While 77 rebels were killed in Kalikot district, eight others were shot down in Tanhau and Kanchanpur, state run Nepal Radio said.

Maoist rebels are fighting to replace the Himalayan Hindu kingdom's monarchy with a one-party Communist government. More than 2,900 people have been killed in the six years since the rebellion began. Nepal declared a state of emergency in November to crush the Maoist uprising.