Nepal: Negotiations continue to end the crisis, at least 51 dead in riots

Political negotiations accelerated Friday in Nepal around the army chief in an attempt to appoint a new prime minister, following anti-government riots earlier this week, which left at least 51 dead. General Ashok Raj Sigdel is scheduled to hold talks Friday afternoon with President Ramchandra Paudel, former Supreme Court chief Sushila Karki, and a leading protester, Sudan Gurung, according to a spokesman for the protesters, Nimesh Shresth.

Known for her independence, Sushila Karki, 73, is expected to lead the transition, but she is not unanimous, especially among young protesters. The crisis—the deadliest in Nepal since the abolition of the monarchy in 2008—began Monday when police opened fire on young protesters denouncing the blocking of social media and elite corruption.

Around twenty protesters were killed, hundreds more injured, fueling public outrage and anger. The next day, the head of government attempted to regain control by ordering the reinstatement of Facebook, YouTube, and X and promising an "independent" investigation into police violence. But nothing worked: young people gathered under the banner of "Generation Z" took to the streets of the capital, Kathmandu, ransacking numerous public buildings, the residences of political leaders, and other symbols of power.

The army controls the capital

The parliament was set on fire , as was the Prime Minister's residence, who had no choice but to resign. The 73-year-old leader of the Nepalese Communist Party (Maoist), who has led the government four times since 2015, had led a coalition with a center-left party since 2024. He embodied the elite whose departure the country's youth, largely unemployed and tired of corruption, were demanding.

The unrest left "at least 51 dead, including 21 protesters and three police officers," police spokesman Binod Ghimire said Friday. The army has regained control of the capital. Its armed soldiers, accompanied by armored vehicles and tanks, continued to patrol Kathmandu's deserted streets Friday under curfew. Residents were allowed out for a few hours Friday morning to stock up on supplies, while the massive cleanup effort to erase the traces of Tuesday's destruction continued.

13,500 prisoners escaped

The massive manhunt for some 13,500 inmates who took advantage of the unrest to escape from prison continued in full swing across the country. Fewer than a thousand have been caught so far, some on neighboring Indian soil, a police spokesman said Friday. "12,533 are still on the run."

Nepalese President Ramchandra Paudel vowed Thursday to make "every effort" to "find a way out of the difficult situation the country is facing." The octogenarian, who is constitutionally required to appoint the prime minister, promised to do so "as quickly as possible" and "to meet the demands of the protesting citizens."

Discussions are still heated among the ranks of "Generation Z" representatives, who are struggling to agree on a name to lead what they want to be a radical transition. "We want this to change," Sudan Gurung urged Thursday. "Our first demand is the dissolution of parliament. And ending corruption must be a top priority."