Nepal army deployed as president and prime minister resign following unrest

The Nepal Army announced it will deploy troops to restore order after protests escalated across the country, resulting in the resignation of Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli and President Ram Chandra Poudel.

Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel said troops would be mobilized from 10 p.m. on Tuesday and urged demonstrators to engage in dialogue and show restraint “to prevent further loss of life and property.”

The escalation came after unrest spread despite the lifting of the government’s social media ban, which had blocked platforms including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, and X for failing to register under new rules.

The initial “Gen Z” protests against the measure left at least 22 people dead and hundreds more injured, with the unrest further fueled by widespread corruption allegations across the government.

Protesters defied curfews and set fire to the federal parliament, the Supreme Court, and the homes of political leaders, with the wife of former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal killed when their residence was engulfed in flames.

The turmoil led both President Ram Chandra Poudel and Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli to resign. Oli’s whereabouts are currently unknown, with local media speculating he may have attempted to flee the country or seek asylum abroad.

The simultaneous resignations of Nepal’s president and prime minister, combined with the army’s deployment to the streets, have left the country facing a power vacuum and deep uncertainty over its political future.