Two Factions Of Nepal Gen Z Protesters Scuffle Outside Army HQ In Leadership Dispute

Last Updated:September 11, 2025, 15:44 IST

The Gen Z protesters split between factions backing Balen Shah and Sushila Karki and engaged in a heated scuffle outside the Army Headquarters.

Nepal Gen Z protests: Protesters gather outside Nepal's army headquarters during a curfew imposed to restore law and order in Kathmandu. (IMAGE: AFP)

Tensions flared for the second consecutive day outside the Nepali Army headquarters in Bhadrakali as Gen Z protesters appeared divided over the choice of an interim leader. On Thursday afternoon, rival factions supporting former Chief Justice Sushila Karki and Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah clashed outside the Army complex, arguing bitterly over who should head the interim government.

The same protesters, who have been demanding change after weeks of unrest, were seen debating intensely over the leadership question following widespread grievances about corruption, nepotism and unemployment on Wednesday evening as well on the same site. The protests had escalated dramatically earlier this week after a ban on social media, which triggered violent demonstrations. In response, Army officials had asked the protesters to return the following morning with a clear consensus on their choice of interim leadership.

Khabarhub, the first outlet to report the development, also shared a photo showing a protester punching another outside the Army headquarters. News18, however, could not independently verify the authenticity of the image. According to their report, the clashes erupted on the main road in front of the headquarters when a group of youths raised slogans opposing former Chief Justice Karki as interim Prime Minister.

Supporters of Karki and those backing Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah soon came to blows, while a smaller group aligned with Dharan Mayor Harka Sampang also joined the fray. What began as slogan shouting quickly descended into fistfights and gang-style brawls, turning the area into what the outlet described as a “flashpoint of unrest". The report added that Nepali Army personnel were struggling to bring the situation under control as the clashes spread.

Earlier in the day, a military spokesperson told AFP that Army chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel had held talks on Wednesday with key figures and “representatives of Gen Z", the loose umbrella term used for the protest movement.

The demonstrations, which began on Monday in Kathmandu over the government’s short-lived social media ban and long-standing corruption, have already left at least 19 people dead in a violent crackdown.

By Tuesday, the unrest had spiralled nationwide, with government offices, a major hotel and other buildings set ablaze. In the chaos, more than 13,500 prisoners managed to escape from jails across the country.

News world Two Factions Of Nepal Gen Z Protesters Scuffle Outside Army HQ In Leadership Dispute

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