Maoist rebels fighting government troops in western Nepal have declared a one-month cease-fire. 

In a signed statement sent Thursday to Western news organizations, rebel leader Pushpin Kaman Doha, known as Prachand, said the cease-fire will begin May 15 and remain in effect until mid-June. However, the statement said rebels would launch new strikes if government forces attack during the break. There was no immediate government response to the latest rebel overture. 

Last week, Maoist leaders offered to resume peace talks they abandoned last November. But Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba rejected the offer, saying his government will not negotiate with rebels until they disarm. Tuesday in Washington, Mr. Deuba met with President Bush at the White House and was assured U.S. support as the Kathmandu government battles to crush the six-year Maoist rebellion. 

The Bush administration has already asked Congress for $20 million in non-combat military aid for the Deuba government. A U.S. military assessment team recently visited Nepal to conduct a review of Nepal's military capabilities. 

Thursday's ceasefire offer comes amid reports of nearly a week of fierce fighting in and near a government outpost in the remote Gam region of western Nepal. 

State radio says several hundred soldiers, policemen, rebels and civilians may have been killed in a series of government attacks and rebel counter-attacks. 

The government said it had gained control of the region early this week, and claims to have killed hundreds of rebels. Those claims have not been independently confirmed. Late Tuesday, rebels launched a major counter-offensive on a government outpost at Gam, killing all 140 army troops and police officers stationed in the remote garrison. The fighting is said to be the heaviest since 1996, when rebels began fighting to topple Nepal's constitutional monarchy. 

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. 

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