16 Indian Gorkha soldiers kidnapped

NEW DELHI: The Army on Saturday said 16 Indian soldiers of the Gorkha Regiment had been abducted by Maoist rebels in western Nepal over the last 48 hours.
"We are in touch with our external affairs ministry and our defence attache in Kathmandu to get more details...around 60% of soldiers in our Gorkha Rifles hail from Nepal (the rest are Indian domicile Gorkhas) and go to their country on annual leave," said a senior officer.
Kathmandu Post on Saturday said the abducted soldiers, stationed in Jammu and Kashmir, were on their way home on leave when they were abducted from Chuha village of Kailali district in the Himalayan Kingdom.
The Indian Army has seven Gorkha Rifles (Ist, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th and 11th), with five to six battalions (800-1,000 soldiers) under each of these regiments. The other Gorkha Rifles joined the British Army after Independence.
India views the insurgency in Nepal as a "common security challenge" since there are strong linkages between the Maoists and left-wing extremist groups in India like People''s War and MCC.
"We are providing Nepal with the arms and equipment it wants to take on the insurgency. In the past also, we have supplied them light helicopters, mortars, mines, rifles and machine guns at concessional rates," said an officer.