Soldiers With Armored Vehicle Patrols On Nepal Streets After Riots

Protests in Nepal/PHOTO via Wikimedia Commons

JAKARTA - The army guarded Nepal's parliament and patrolled deserted streets in the middle of a curfew in the capital Kathmandu, after two days of anti-corruption protests forcing Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign.

The riots in the poor Himalayan country were sparked by social media bans announced last week, but were lifted after 19 people died on Monday when police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to control the crowd.

Burned vehicles and twisted metals strewn around parliament, where military firefighters struggled to extinguish the fire in the main hall, while the outside of the building was scorched after protesters burned it on Tuesday.

"I have been told by the head of security (parlemen) that the fire has destroyed the entire infrastructure. Nothing remains," Ekram Giri, spokesman for the parliament's lower house, told Reuters from his home in Kathmandu.

Several other government buildings, ranging from the Supreme Court to the homes of ministers, including the private residence of the Oli, were also burned in Tuesday's protest.

The riots only subsided after his resignation.

The flight was disrupted, with the main airport in Kathmandu closed until 18.00 local time.

Armored vehicles stand guard on mostly deserted roads, while shops and markets are closed. Firefighters were deployed in various locations, while the road clearing process is also underway, military spokesman Raja Ram Basnet said.

"We are trying to normalize the situation first. We are committed to protecting people's lives and property," Basnet said, adding prisoners burned the Dilli Bazar Prison in Kathmandu before the military controlled the situation.

In his petition to X, the military said the ban order would remain in effect until Thursday morning. Related parties are coordinating to deal with the situation after the protests and resolve the issue.

The media also reported that preparations were being made so that authorities and protesters could hold negotiations, without providing further details.