KATHMANDU, Dec. 23 (Xinhuanet) -- At least 22 anti-government guerrillas and two government security personnel were killed Thursday in a skirmish between the two sides in western Nepal, Radio Nepal reported.

    The skirmish took place at Lamidar area in Arghakhanchi district on Thursday morning , the state-run radio quoted an officer at the Western Division Office of the Royal Nepal Army as saying.

    "At least 22 bodies of the rebels were found in the site of theskirmish that lasted two hours," the officer said on condition of anonymity.

    Five injured army personnel have been taken to Kathmandu for treatment, he added.

    Some 60 to 65 more bodies were carried away by the guerrillas themselves, the radio quoted locals as saying.

    On Wednesday, at least 10 people including five civilians and five security personnel were killed in a clash between the security forces and the guerrillas in Baliya of Kailali district in far-western Nepal.

    More than 10,000 Nepalese people have lost their lives since the anti-government insurgency broke out in early 1996. Enditem