Nepal protest top updates: Army extends curbs on public gatherings, curfew to follow

The Nepali Army on Wednesday extended orders prohibiting public gatherings till 5 pm, and said that after that a nationwide curfew will be imposed till 6 am on Thursday amid the widespread protests against corruption and the government, The Kathmandu Post reported.

The Army claimed that “unruly groups” had infiltrated the protests and had carried out acts of vandalism, arson, looting, targeted attacks on individuals and property, and attempted sexual assaults.

It said that a curfew was necessary to safeguard security and urged citizens to support efforts to contain criminal activity, according to The Kathmandu Post.

On Tuesday, the Army said that it will assume control of security operations in the country from 10 pm as violent unrest continued for a second day in Kathmandu and other cities, PTI reported.

This came hours after Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned from his post.

In a statement following Oli’s resignation, the Army’s Directorate of Public Relations and Information said that some groups were taking “undue advantage of the difficult situation and causing severe damage to ordinary citizens and public property”.

All security agencies would be fully mobilised if violence continued, the statement added. It also urged citizens to refrain from destructive acts and help restore order.

The agitation was sparked by the Nepali government’s ban on 26 social media platforms, but evolved...

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