Police in Kathmandu opened fire on anti-government protesters on Monday, killing eight people and injuring several others, Nepalese media reported, according to an Associated Press dispatch.
The shootings occurred during demonstrations in Nepal's capital, but details about the circumstances that led to the use of lethal force remained unclear. Local news outlets cited by the AP said the fatalities and additional injuries followed confrontations between police and demonstrators, though official confirmation and a full accounting of casualties were not immediately available.
Authorities did not immediately issue a statement to explain the operation or to provide an official casualty tally. The AP report said requests for comment from government officials and police spokespeople had not been answered as of its posting.
Witness accounts and local reporting provided the first publicly available details of the incident. Emergency services and hospitals in Kathmandu were reported to be treating the wounded, according to the media coverage cited by the AP. No information was available on the identities of those killed or the exact number of injured.
Protests in Kathmandu have at times intensified in recent years amid political disputes, and demonstrations against the government have drawn varying numbers of participants depending on the issues at stake. Monday’s incident represents one of the deadliest uses of force reported during anti-government demonstrations in the capital in recent memory, according to local reporting.
International human rights organizations and foreign governments had not issued statements on the shootings at the time of the AP report. Journalists and rights monitors often call for independent investigations in such incidents, but no formal inquiry had been announced.
Further details remained expected as reporters and authorities continued to seek confirmation and compile official accounts. The Associated Press reported the deaths and injuries early Monday, citing Nepalese media; more information may be released as officials respond to requests and as hospitals and emergency services provide updates.