<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3>Nepal tense over hostage deaths


</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><!-- S BO --><!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD> There has been widespread damage in Kathmandu

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA -->A curfew is continuing in the Nepalese capital for the third straight day following riots over the killing of 12 Nepalese hostages in Iraq.

The situation in Kathmandu is said to be uneasy but calm.

The curfew was lifted for three hours on Friday morning to allow people to shop for essential supplies.

Two people were killed on Wednesday when mobs attacked a mosque and ransacked government buildings and offices of Middle Eastern airlines.

Friday prayers in the city's Jama mosque, which was damaged in the riots, have been cancelled because of the curfew.

"We will hold our prayers in small groups in our homes," Arif Sheakh, a mosque management committee member, told Reuters.

"This is the first time in my life when I saw such protests. I hope we can hold our prayers in the mosque soon," Mr Sheakh said.

Extra security has been deployed outside mosques and other public buildings.

Flights cancelled

Several international airlines, including Pakistan International Airlines, Qatar Airways, Gulf Airways, and India's Jet Airways have cancelled scheduled flights to Kathmandu.

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This is the first time in my life when I saw such protests. I hope we can hold our prayers in the mosque soon,


Arif Sheakh
Nepali Muslim



<!-- S ILIN -->South Asia's 'agents of doom'
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IBOX -->The situation is being closely watched in neighbouring India where a cabinet committee on security issues discussed the matter on Thursday.

Nepal's king and the prime minister appealed for calm following Wednesday's violent protests.

Correspondents say Nepal has no history of violence against its Muslim minority.

Many blamed the government for doing little to free the hostages and there have been calls for the prime minister to step down.

The government rejected the criticism and has pressed the international community to hunt down the killers.

The government said it would take action against agencies illegally sending people to Iraq.

Nepal, one of the poorest countries in the world, has banned its citizens from going to Iraq, despite the relatively well-paid jobs

there.

<!-- E BO -->http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3623608.stm


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