Amnesty International has said human rights abuses in Nepal are reaching unprecedented levels because of the long-running Maoist insurgency.

Members of the security forces feel entirely shielded from outside scrutiny Amnesty report

The London-based human rights organisation said the increase in abuses followed the escalation of violence over the past year during a military offensive against rebels.

Amnesty's report, published on Thursday and seen as the strongest ever on Nepal, criticised both the security forces and the rebels.

It said that civilians accounted for half of the 4,000 people killed in the last year, and that most had died at the hands of the security forces.

However, the army described the allegations as biased and said any abuses were investigated.

Army denial

The Amnesty report said that the authorities had often allowed offenders to act with impunity.

"Impunity is the single most destructive factor affecting the human rights situation. Members of the security forces feel entirely shielded from outside scrutiny,'' the report said.

The seven-year conflict has left 7,000 dead

However, an army spokesman denied any rights violations by security forces.

He said Amnesty's allegations were ''highly prejudicial'' and based on reports by Maoist rebels.

''There could be some possibility of innocent people getting killed in crossfire, but any allegation of human rights violations that comes to our notice is registered and duly investigated,'' the spokesman said.

Amnesty also condemned the rebels who have been waging an armed struggle to establish a communist state. It said the rebels had killed many civilians or taken them hostage for ransom.

They had tortured and killed captives, including members of the security forces.

The report said the ''Maoists have also been responsible for recruiting children into their army''.

EU appeal

Amnesty International called for more international assistance for Nepal to increase human rights protection and to provide a law enforcement system that would curb rights violations.

The report follows similar concerns expressed by the European Union (EU).

The Maoists have also been responsible for recruiting children into their army Amnesty report

In a new statement in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, the EU highlighted reports of human rights violation by the security forces.

It also urged the Maoist rebels to immediately halt their ''killings, harassment and destruction''.

The EU again called for early peace talks to end the seven-year conflict which has left 7,000 people dead, displaced many others and ravaged the country's subsistence economy.

Meanwhile, at least six policemen died in an overnight rebel attack on a police station at Koilabas on the south-western border with India.