Nepal's army ties to restore order as protesters seek former chief justice as interim leader

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KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Soldiers in Nepal’s capital ordered people to stay home Wednesday after the military came out in force overnight to halt two days of deadly unrest that prompted the government’s collapse as protesters set buildings on fire.

Representatives of the protesters met with military officials at the army headquarters in Kathmandu to discuss a transitional leader, with some of them pushing for Sushila Karki, a popular former chief justice.

The demonstrations by thousands of protesters were sparked Monday by a short-lived government ban on social media, drawing a police crackdown in which officers opened fire. The protests escalated Tuesday with attacks on government buildings. The overall death toll in the violence has reached 25, the Health Ministry said Wednesday, with 633 people injured.

The protests prompted Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli to resign Tuesday, and the country's ceremonial President Ram Chandra Poudel asked him to lead a transitional government until a new one can be put in place. But Oli fled from his official residence, and his whereabouts were not clear.

Rehan Raj Dangal, a representative of the protesters, said his group has proposed to military leaders that Karki head an interim government. Karki, the only woman to serve as chief justice of Nepal's Supreme Court, was a popular figure when she served in the post in 2016 and 2017.

However, other protesters from among the crowd who had gathered outside the army headquarters opposed the choice of Karki.

Armed troops guarded the main areas of Kathmandu, restoring some order after the violence and chaos of the previous days. Soldiers checked vehicles and people and told residents to stay in their homes.

The military is rarely mobilized in Nepal, and soldiers initially stayed in their barracks as police failed to control the protesters and the situation spun out of control. Late Tuesday, the security forces started to mobilize, saying they were committed to preserving law and order.

On Wednesday, soldiers quelled a jailbreak in the heart of Kathmandu. Inmates at the main jail had overpowered guards, set fire to buildings and tried to escape. Soldiers fired into the air, apprehended the escaping inmates and transferred them to other jails. No injuries were reported.

The demonstrations — dubbed the protest of Gen Z — began after the government blocked social media platforms, including Facebook, X and YouTube, saying those companies had failed to register and submit to government oversight.

The social media ban was lifted on Tuesday, but the protests continued, fueled by rage over 19 deaths of protesters blamed on police and despite government vows to investigate the deaths.

The protests spiraled to reflect broader discontent. Many young people are angry that the children of political leaders — so-called nepo kids — seem to enjoy luxury lifestyles and numerous advantages while most youth struggle to find work.

With youth unemployment running at about 20% last year, according to the World Bank, the government estimates that more than 2,000 young people leave the country every day to seek work in the Middle East or Southeast Asia.

Videos shared on social media show protesters beating up Nepali Congress party leader Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife, Arzu Rana Deuba, the current foreign minister. Both appeared to be bleeding, while one video shows the party leader being helped to safety. The party is the country’s largest and is part of the governing coalition.

Protesters also set fires at the the parliament building, presidential house, the central secretariat that houses the offices of the prime minister and key ministries, and the prime minister’s official residence.

Smoke was still rising from those buildings on Wednesday.

The building of Kantipur publication, Nepal’s biggest media outlet, also was torched and damaged. Car showrooms were also torched and burned-out vehicles dotted the streets.

The violence unfolded as Nepal’s government pursues a broader attempt to regulate social media with a bill aimed at ensuring the platforms are “properly managed, responsible and accountable.”

The proposal has been widely criticized as a tool for censorship and for punishing government opponents who voice their protests online.

The bill would require companies to appoint a liaison office or a point of contact in the country. Rights groups have called it an attempt by the government to curb freedom of expression and fundamental rights.

The registration requirement applied to about two dozen social networks widely used in Nepal. Those that didn’t comply were blocked last week, though TikTok, Viber and three other platforms that registered were operating without interruption.