Nepal to restore police stations in rural areas

Nearly two-thirds of police stations were closed down for security reasons during the decade of fighting between Maoists and Govt.

Nepal's government will begin re-staffing police stations throughout the country after a recent peace agreement halted 10 years of communist insurgency, an official said on Tuesday.

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Nearly two-thirds of police stations in this Himalayan nation were closed down for security reasons during the decade of fighting between government troops and communist rebels.

The rebels -- who began fighting in 1996 for a communist state -- frequently attacked police posts in rural areas, which were poorly equipped and staffed.

Government minister Hridesh Tripathi said the decision to re-staff 1,979 police stations across the country was reached at a recent Cabinet meeting.

The rebels declared a cease-fire in April and began peace talks with the government.

Last month, they signed a peace accord, marking end of the conflict that killed more than 13,000 people.

Under the peace deal, thousands of rebels will be confined to UN-monitored camps, and their weapons locked up until elections next year.

The rebels are set to join an interim government as part of the peace process.