Nepal's Maoist rebels Monday announced they have ended the unilateral ceasefire and vowed to "go on the offensive" against the Royal Nepal Army, dousing hopes of peace despite pleas from political parties and the international community.
"The four-month ceasefire which we extended has come to an end," the rebel leader Prachanda said in a statement sent to various news outlets here.
Initially the unilateral ceasefire was announced by the rebels on September 3 last year for three months. In December, they extended it by one more month, but the truce expired at midnight.
"The Royal Army is surrounding our People's Liberation Army, which is in defensive positions, to carry out ground as well as air attacks on us. Therefore, we are compelled to go on the offensive not only for the sake of peace and democracy but for self defence," the statement said.
Prachanda said the rebels were compelled to end the truce as the government has refused to reciprocate it.
"We want to make it clear our future actions will be targeted against the autocratic regime," he said.
The announcement of the rebels, fighting a decade-long insurgency to end monarchy and establish a communist republic that took the lives of over 12,000 people, came despite pleas by the seven opposition political parties, civil rights groups, various countries and international organisations.
United Nations General Secretary Kofi Annan and the European Union had last week urged the Maoists to extend the ceasefire.
Prachanda said he "respected and understood" their appeals, but requested them to understand the rebels' compulsion to end the truce.
The rebels had reached a 12-point understanding with the seven party alliance last November for fighting the regime of King Gyanendra and for restoration of multi-party democracy in the Himalayan Kingdom.
The rebel leader's statement said the Maoists "remain committed to supporting the peaceful campaign" of the alliance and to help implement the 12-point agreement.
He also offered to announce a fresh ceasefire if a new constitution is drafted. This is a long-standing demand of the rebels, which the government has continuously been rejecting.
The Royal Government of King Gyanendra, who assumed absolute power last February, did not reciprocate the truce saying the rebels were not genuine and that the ceasefire was a Maoist ploy to buy time.