As Nepal's army tries to restore order, capital's residents ask what's next

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KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Residents of Nepal's capital rushed to buy groceries Thursday morning when the army briefly lifted a curfew it imposed to quell violent protests that toppled the country's government, as confusion set in about who would govern the Himalayan nation.

Nepal army, which took control of the capital Tuesday night after two days of protests that burned government buildings and businesses, lifted the curfew for four hours Thursday morning. People rushed to buy rice, vegetables and meat, while others took the opportunity to pray at Hindu temples.

Armed soldiers were guarding the streets, checking vehicles and offering assistance to those in need.

It remained unclear who would take control of the government as the search for an interim leader continued.

When the protests prompted Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli to resign Tuesday, the country’s ceremonial President Ram Chandra Poudel asked him to lead a transitional government until a new one could be put in place. But Oli fled from his official residence, and his whereabouts were not clear.

Residents of the capital wondered who was in charge. "I feel there should be an election soonest and new leaders who are able to work for the country should be elected,” said Sanu Bohara, a shop owner. “After all this what we need is peace. I feel there should not have been so much destruction, but that has already happed.”

Anup Keshar Thapa, a retired government officer who was looking at the charred official residences of ministers, said it was not clear who would lead the country and if people would actually listen to them. “If the protests had gone in an organized way, it would be clear who was leading," he said.

Representatives of the protesters met with military officials at the army headquarters in Kathmandu on Wednesday to discuss a transitional leader, with some of them pushing for Sushila Karki, a popular former chief justice.

Rehan Raj Dangal, a representative of the protesters, said his group has proposed to military leaders that Karki head an interim government. Karki, the only woman to serve as chief justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court, was a popular figure when she served in the post in 2016 and 2017.

However, other protesters among a crowd gathered outside the army headquarters opposed Karki.

Demonstrations by thousands of protesters were sparked Monday by a short-lived government ban on social media. platforms including Facebook, X and YouTube, which the government said had failed to register and submit to oversight.

The protests drew a police crackdown in which officers opened fire, and escalated Tuesday with attacks on government buildings.

The social media ban was lifted on Tuesday, but the demonstrations continued, fueled by rage over the deaths of protesters, which protesters blamed on police.

The protests spiraled to reflect broader discontent. Many young people are angry about “nepo kids” of political leaders who seem to enjoy luxury lifestyles and numerous advantages while most youth struggle to find work.

With youth unemployment running at about 20% last year, according to the World Bank, the government estimates that more than 2,000 young people leave the country every day to seek work in the Middle East or Southeast Asia.

Protesters set fires at the the parliament building, the presidential residence, the central secretariat that houses the offices of the prime minister and key ministries, and the prime minister’s official residence.

Smoke was still rising from those buildings on Wednesday.

The building of Kantipur publication, Nepal’s biggest media outlet, also was torched and damaged. Car showrooms were also torched and burned-out vehicles dotted the streets.

The military is rarely mobilized in Nepal, and soldiers initially stayed in their barracks as police lost control of the situation. Late Tuesday, the security forces started to mobilize, saying they were committed to preserving law and order.

The overall death toll in the violence has reached 30, the Health Ministry said Wednesday, with 1,033 people injured. The death and injuries were rising as reports were trickling in from other parts of the country about the casualties.

On Wednesday, soldiers quelled a jailbreak in the heart of Kathmandu. Inmates at the main jail had overpowered guards, set fire to buildings and tried to escape. Soldiers fired into the air, apprehended the escaping inmates and transferred them to other jails. No injuries were reported.