Rebels Halt Weeklong Blockade of Katmandu

Maoist rebels said they were suspending a blockade of Nepal’s capital, Katmandu, that had cut it off from the rest of the country for a week. But in a fax to media outlets, they threatened further action if the government failed to release jailed guerrillas.

Fearing violence, most people stayed off the roads into and out of Katmandu since the blockade began, severely limiting the flow of goods and stranding thousands of travelers.

The rebels said they withdrew the blockade after considering requests from the business community, human rights activists and ordinary Nepalese.