KATHMANDU, Jan. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- At least 150 anti-government guerrillas were killed and scores others injured Wednesday in far-western Nepal in one of the fiercest clashes with the security forces in recent weeks, an army official said.

Nepalese police patrol the outskirts of Kathmandu. (Reuters/file)

    "A group of over 500 rebels attacked the army post at Masuria in Kailali district (about 700 km west of Kathmandu) Wednesday morning, during which at least 150 rebels were killed," the official said on condition of anonymity.

    The army has recovered the bodies of 30 rebels while the remaining bodies were carried away by their comrades before fleeing the area, the official said.

    The fighting was continuing, he said.

    "However, there were no deaths on the side of the security forces, though eight of them were injured in the clashes," he added.

    More than 11,000 Nepalese people have lost their lives since the anti-government insurgency broke out in early 1996. Enditem