Twenty two Nepalese guerrillas, one civilian and a security man were killed in the clashes between security forces and the guerrillas in western Nepal in recent days, human rights activists said here Friday.

The persons mostly were killed in the aerial strike launched by the security forces that began on Jan. 12 continued till Wednesday in Arunodaya of Tanahu district and Chitrebhanjyang, Magyam Chisapani, Kichnas and Manakamana village of Syangja district, some 700 km west of Kathmandu, the human rights activists who inspected the attack sites for five days, said in a statement.

Two died in Ambote of Arunodaya village in Tanahu, one in Chitrebhanjyang of Syangja, two in Karangswanra, one in Kharikot and 16 in Manakamana village, the statement noted.

The continued clashes between the security forces and the guerrillas made the locals terrified, the statement added.

The human rights activists all came from non-governmental human rights organizations of Nepal.

(Xinhua News Agency January 20, 2006)