Kathmandu, Oct 18: The Nepali Army has defended its handling of the recent Gen Z protests, saying its actions were guided by a “principle of obligation” and coordinated closely with other security forces.
At a Friday press briefing, Major General Anup Jung Thapa, head of the Army’s Military Operations Department, said early signs of youth-led unrest were visible but the protests erupted far faster than anticipated. “The Gen Z wave was detectable earlier, but it unfolded suddenly,” he said, stressing that the army acted out of necessity to stabilize the situation.
Responding to criticism that the army moved too late, Thapa said the question itself was misplaced. “Our mandate is to protect citizens and defend the nation,” he said, adding that intervention decisions were based on real-time assessments of threat and urgency.
According to army data, of the 76 people who died during the September 8–9 unrest, 22 were protesters, three were police officers, 10 were inmates, and 41 fell under an “other” category still under review. The protests spread to 484 locations, resulting in widespread arson and destruction. Damage included 688 government offices, 259 private houses, 128 businesses, 198 party offices, and 307 police stations.
Thapa said 15,588 inmates escaped during the chaos, with 8,799 recaptured so far. Of 978 stolen firearms, 586 have been recovered.
Security forces have since been stationed at 62 critical sites nationwide, including prisons, airports, oil depots, courts, and key administrative and educational institutions. A total of 1,628 army personnel are deployed, five locations inside the Kathmandu Valley and 57 outside.
The army said its response was aimed at restoring order and preventing further loss of life or property during what it called an “unprecedented, fast-moving national crisis.”
People's News Monitoring Service