Nepal: four Polish trekkers kidnapped

The BBC has reported that four Polish trekkers have been kidnapped in Nepal by Maoist rebels.
nepal


The BBC has reported that four Polish trekkers have been kidnapped in Nepal by Maoist rebels. According to the news report published on  news.bbc.co.uk, the trekkers disappeared a few days ago while they were on their way from Jiri to Lukla, at the gateway to Mount Everest. The four contacted the Nepal Esperanto Association (of which two are members) and stated that they had been retained.

According to the BBC correspondent in Kathmandu, the Maoist rebels often impose a "tax" on trekking and mountaineering expeditions, but usually matters proceed no further than this. This is perhaps one of the first times that rebels have been active so close to the Khumbu valley, one of the most popular valleys for trekkers and mountaineers worldwide.

The BBC states that since Maoist rebels began their campaign to topple the Nepalese monarchy in 1996, 8000 people have been killed. If confirmed, kidnapping Western tourists might indicated a shift in strategy and the consequences on the tourist industry, one of Nepal's main forms of income, could be grave.


News archive Nepal
news.bbc.co.uk

Photo Loris Marin



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