Democracy protesters on the march as 27 are killed in Nepal

The country's main political parties defiantly announced three more days of demonstrations in the capital and called for a national strike on Thursday.

King Gyanendra faces growing opposition to his autocratic rule, and his refusal to back down threatens to drag Nepal into a new crisis. Despite a royal ban on demonstrations, the parties have vowed that they will continue to hold rallies until he agrees to give up the absolute power he seized last year.

The protests coincide with a resumption of the civil war that has killed 12,000 people in the past 10 years. The Maoist rebels who control vast areas of the country renounced a four-month unilateral ceasefire earlier this month, and have returned to their campaign of violence.

At least six members of the Nepalese security forces and 17 guerrillas, two civilians and a policeman were found dead after a gun battle that began with a rebel attack on an army patrol in the south of the country yesterday, the bloodiest day since the ceasefire ended on 2 January.

A candidate in next month's municipal elections was shot dead in another part of southern Nepal. Although the Maoists did not comment on Bijaya Lal Das' death, they have threatened to target anyone who takes part in the election.

The violence came a week after co-ordinated attacks by the Maoists inside the capital killed 12 police.

Opposition to the monarchy has been growing steadily since King Gyanendra sacked the prime minister and his government last February, seizing the absolute powers of a medieval king. He also used a state of emergency to suspend basic human rights, including freedom of speech and freedom of thought.

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