Timeline of Events in Nepal

By The Associated Press
© 2006 The Associated Press

— Key events since King Gyanendra took power in Nepal:

2001:

June 1 _ King Birendra and his family members are assassinated by his son, Crown Prince Dipendra, in a shooting spree at the royal palace. The prince goes into a coma from apparently self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

June 2 _ Crown Prince Dipendra declared king while still in a coma. King Birendra's brother, Prince Gyanendra, declared regent.

June 4 _ Dipendra dies, Gyanendra declared king. Anti-Gyanendra protests are held in the capital, Katmandu, where a curfew is imposed.

July _ Maoist rebels step up violence, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala resigns.

July _ Sher Bahadur Deuba named new prime minister, announces truce with rebels.

Aug. 30 _ Government, rebels begin peace talks. Rebels demand new constitution.

November _ Maoists kill 24 policemen in attacks at 15 sites, ending four-month cease-fire.

Nov. 26 _ King Gyanendra declares state of emergency.

2002:

May _ Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba meets with President Bush to seek support for his campaign against the rebels. Bush pledges $20 million. Maoists offer truce, which is rejected by the government.

May 22 _ Gyanendra dissolves Parliament, orders fresh elections. Deuba expelled by his party, the Nepali Congress, but remains interim prime minister.

Aug. 28 _ Government lifts state of emergency.

Oct. 4 _ Gyanendra fires Deuba, calling him "incompetent" and incapable of holding elections on schedule. Deuba had asked for the postponement of voting because of fears of rebel violence.

2003:

Jan. 29 _ Rebels declare cease-fire, begin peace talks with government.

May 30 _ Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand, Deuba's replacement, resigns.

June 4 _ Gyanendra appoints monarchist Surya Bahadur Thapa, 75, as new prime minister.

July 31 _ Maoist rebels agree to government requests for a resumption of peace talks.

Aug. 27 _ Maoist rebels call off seven-month cease-fire and withdraw from peace talks. Fighting resumes.

2004:

May 7 _ Thapa announces his resignation as prime minister after 11 months in office and months of protests by political parties demanding a restoration of democracy.

June 2 _ Gyanendra reappoints Deuba as prime minister with the task of holding elections.

August _ Nepalese rebels enforce blockade on Katmandu, cutting it off from rest of Nepal for a week, demanding the government free jailed guerrillas.

2005:

Feb. 1 _ Gyanendra dismisses government and declares a state of emergency, taking control of the kingdom.

April 30 _ Gyanendra lifts the state of emergency, apparently bowing to strong international pressure to restore democracy in Nepal.

Sept. 4 _ Communist rebels declare a three-month unilateral cease-fire.

Nov. 22 _ Communist rebels and seven main political parties reach agreement to bolster opposition to Gyanendra.

2006:

Jan. 2 _ Maoist rebels announce end to a three-month unilateral cease-fire _ which they had extended by one month _ because of the government's refusal to enter peace negotiations with them.

Feb. 9 _ Candidates backed by the king sweep the country's first election in seven years; opposition parties reject the results of the vote, marred by low turnout.

February 17 _ Nepal's Supreme Court orders the release of 37 political detainees.

April 21 _ Gyanendra vows to return multiparty democracy after weeks of bloody protests and international pressure.