The Maoists had laid a land mine for the army in Khara Village Development Committee in Rukum district. Instead, four innocent people lost their lives in that ambush, and a fifth was seriously injured. In Kalika VDC in Bardia, the Maoists laid another mine for the army. Instead of the intended target, the ambulance of the local Red Cross ran over it, and was completely blown up. The ambulance was going from Guleriya to Bheri Anchal Zonal Hospital in Nepalgunj. Surely the Maoist "class war," had nothing against ambulances that ferry sick people.

Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry has said that three army personnel were killed and 24 others injured by a mine laid out by the Maoists near Salang Khola in Chandisthan, Lamjung. After the imposition of the emergency, the Maoists have started targeting the army with mines. Thirteen army personnel have died because of such ambushes, two in Pyuthan, three in Gorkha, three in Banke, two in Myagdi and three in Lamjung.

The Maoists have not been able to openly face the army. They know they would be decimated if they tried to take the army head on, and that is why they are now relying on mines. A truck of the Armed Police was caught in an ambush in Surkhet, and four personnel lost their lives. Recently, a vehicle of the district police in Guleriya was caught in a mine and completely destroyed.

The Maoists believe that mines are very effective and have been increasing use for ambushing the security forces. They realise that this inflicts the maximum damage on the enemy with minimum damage to themselves. The mines are placed in areas where vehicles have to slow down for difficult crossings and bends, and this way they inflict maximum damage.

The Maoists learnt this art from the People's War Group of India and used mines for the first time in 1996 in Dhawang in Rolpa. Since then, the damage and death caused by mines have increased.

Many individuals and organisations are requesting all concerned that the use of mines should be banned. According to the Ban Landmines Nepal Campaign, in 2000 alone, 115 policemen, four Maoists, as well as close to 90 other people (including 29 children) have been caught in mines. Ninety-four have died.