Maoist rebels in Nepal have expressed regret at the abduction last week of a British army officer. Their leader, Prachanda, said an investigation was under way into what he called a violation of rebel policy. His comments came a week after the officer and Nepalese members of a Gurkha recruitment team went missing in the north-west of the country. They were freed unharmed two days later. The rebels’ fight for a communist republic has left 8,000 dead. In an interview with a Maoist-run online news service, the chairman of the Maoist communist party said he had been surprised to hear reports that British army team members had been abducted. Prachanda said orders had been issued to free them immediately and to prevent such incidents happening in future. Lieutenant-Colonel Adrian Griffith and six Nepalese nationals were freed almost 48 hours after they were abducted in the remote hill village of Lekhani in Baglung district. Full Story