Eight people died and 103 prisoners escaped when hundreds of Maoist rebels attacked a prison and other government targets in eastern Nepal, an army official said Monday.
"Three sets of Maoists remains have been found. Two police, one soldier and two civilians were also killed in the clashes," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
The rebels besieged a district prison, police office and other buildings Sunday night.
Witnesses reported several large explosions during fighting which lasted until the early hours of Monday in Ilam district, 680 kilometres (410 miles) east of Kathmandu.
"One hundred and three prisoners are still out of contact after the clashes," the army official said.
He said more Maoists were believed to have been killed and their bodies taken away on a bus by the rebels. The army was searching the area.
Since the Maoists ended a unilateral four month cease-fire in early January, at least 200 civilians, rebels, soldiers and police have been killed.
King Gyanendra sacked the government and assumed direct control of the impoverished Himalayan nation just over a year ago, blaming politicians for failing to stem the insurgency.
In November mainstream opposition parties formed a loose alliance with the rebels which still holds despite the return to violence.
Independent local media reported Monday that two leaders from one of the mainstream parties, the Nepal Communist Party (United Marxist Leninist), had gone to New Delhi to hold talks with Maoist leaders living in exile.
At least 12,500 people have died since the Maoists launched their uprising a decade ago.
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