Nepal’s political crisis deepened this week as the army formally assumed control of the country following the resignation of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, but violent unrest and prison riots underscored the fragile state of order in the Himalayan nation.
The army announced late Tuesday that it would govern until a new civilian government is formed, citing the need to restore stability amid escalating protests and violent clashes. Curfew orders have been imposed across major cities, and armored patrols now dominate Kathmandu and other sensitive areas.
“Until a new government is established, the Nepal Army will oversee the administration to ensure sovereignty and public security,” Army Chief Gen. Ashokraj Sigdel said in a statement. He urged protesters to suspend demonstrations and join dialogue, warning that looting and vandalism would be met with strict action.
The unrest, sparked by mass student and youth demonstrations in Kathmandu earlier this week, quickly spread nationwide. Protesters carrying placards and chanting slogans stormed streets, clashing with police in repeated waves of violence. On Tuesday, fires engulfed the Parliament building, as well as the residences of Oli and several cabinet ministers. Reports also surfaced of arson at Nepal’s Supreme Court.
Prisons became a new flashpoint of violence. In Banke district, a confrontation at a correctional facility left at least five inmates dead and seven others wounded after police opened fire to stop a mass jailbreak attempt, according to local media. Similar incidents were reported in Pokhara, where protesters attacked jails, and authorities confirmed that around 1,600 inmates have escaped from prisons across the country in the chaos.
The army has since deployed reinforcements around key government facilities, including Nepal’s main secretariat building, which is now under military control. “We are determined to safeguard sovereignty and citizens’ freedom, but certain vested groups are exploiting the unrest,” the army said in a separate statement, urging the public to remain vigilant.
Efforts to negotiate a resolution are underway. Gen. Sigdel held talks late Tuesday with representatives of protest groups to hear their demands, while President Ramchandra Paudel is scheduled to meet a delegation of demonstrators on Wednesday with the army mediating. Observers hope the dialogue could pave the way for compromise and calm.
Despite curfew measures, scattered clashes were reported Wednesday in several towns, though no major incidents of violence occurred. Authorities remain on high alert as thousands of demonstrators continue to defy restrictions.
The crisis marks Nepal’s most severe political turmoil in years, raising fears of prolonged instability in the region.
