Nepal's Unrest: Army Steps In After PM Resigns Amid Protests

The Nepali Army deployed its troops across Kathmandu and other cities early Wednesday, stepping into action after a surge of violent anti-government protests prompted Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli to resign.

Assuming control of nationwide security operations on Tuesday at 10 pm, the army imposed restrictions across several areas, including Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur, to manage the unrest persisting even after Oli stepped down.

In a statement, army officials expressed concern about certain groups exploiting the crisis, causing heavy damage to citizens and public property. They emphasized the deployment aimed to prevent looting and vandalism proactively, amid government-imposed orders for residents to remain indoors unless absolutely necessary.

On Wednesday, usually bustling Kathmandu streets appeared deserted as only a few residents went out to gather daily essentials, while roads saw heavy patrols and fire trucks responded to fires ignited in both government and private buildings by agitators the previous day.

Tuesday's protests saw fires set at Parliament, the President's Office, and key political figures' residences. Prime Minister Oli resigned following protestors' entry into his office, demanding his resignation over 19 protest fatalities resulting from police actions during Gen Z-led demonstrations against alleged corruption and a recently lifted social media ban.

(With inputs from agencies.)