Hundreds seek to leave Nepal as the army tries to restore order after violent protests

Passengers check flight schedule on a screen as Nepal's international airport which was closed due to nationwide protests reopens in Kathmandu, Nepal, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Hundreds of people crowded Nepal’s main airport in Kathmandu Thursday to get a flight out of the country, as confusion set in over who governs the Himalayan nation after violent protests toppled the country’s government.

In the capital, residents rushed to buy food staples like rice, vegetables and meat early Thursday, when the army briefly lifted a curfew. Armed soldiers were guarding the streets, checking vehicles and offering assistance to those in need.

Nepal’s army took control of the capital Tuesday night after two days of huge protests that left the presidential residence and government buildings in flames and forced the prime minister to resign and flee.

Many tried to leave the country after the airport reopened late Wednesday and international flights resumed Thursday.

“It was very difficult time for us. We had trouble just to get to airport and back to hotel hoping for flights but finally I have found a seat and am going to be flying out of Nepal,” said Raj Kumar Bika, a chicken farmer who was trying to get to New Delhi for business.

It remained unclear who would take control of the government as the search for an interim leader continued.

Nepalis wonder who’s in charge

When the protests prompted Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli to resign Tuesday, the country’s ceremonial President Ram Chandra Poudel asked him to lead a transitional government until a new one could be put in place. But Oli fled from his official residence, and his whereabouts were not clear.

Residents of the capital were left wondering who was in charge. “I feel there should be an election soonest and new leaders who are able to work for the country should be elected,” said Sanu Bohara, a shop owner. “After all this what we need is peace. I feel there should not have been so much destruction, but that has already happened.”

Anup Keshar Thapa, a retired government officer who was looking at the charred official residences of ministers, said it was not clear who would lead the country and if people would actually listen to them. “If the protests had gone in an organized way, it would be clear who was leading,” he said.

Protest leaders met with military officials at the army headquarters in Kathmandu on Wednesday to discuss a transitional leader.

Rehan Raj Dangal, a representative of the protesters, said his group proposed to military leaders that Sushila Karki, a popular former chief justice, should head an interim government. Karki was the only woman to serve as chief justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court. Other protesters opposed her appointment.

Anger at social media ban triggered protests

Demonstrations by thousands of protesters were sparked Monday by a short-lived government ban on social media platforms including Facebook, X and YouTube, which the government said had failed to register with authorities and submit to oversight.

Officers opened fire on protesters, and the clashes escalated Tuesday with attacks on government buildings.

The social media ban was lifted on Tuesday, but the demonstrations continued, fueled by rage over the deaths of some 30 protesters blamed on police.

The protests also spiraled to reflect broader discontent. Many young people are angry about “nepo kids” of political leaders who seem to enjoy luxury lifestyles and numerous advantages while most youth struggle to find work.

With youth unemployment running at about 20 per cent last year, according to the World Bank, the government estimates that more than 2,000 young people leave the country every day to seek work in the Middle East or Southeast Asia.

Protesters set fires at the the parliament building, the presidential residence, the central secretariat that houses the offices of the prime minister and key ministries, and the prime minister’s official residence. Smoke was still rising from those buildings on Wednesday.

The building of Kantipur publication, Nepal’s biggest media outlet, also was torched and damaged. Car showrooms were also targeted, and burned-out vehicles dotted the streets.

“We are compelled to go abroad because there is no future for people like us in Nepal,” said Asmita Poudel, who was waiting to board a flight to Dubai. “If there were opportunities, we would all stay back in the country.”

The military takes control

The military is rarely mobilized in Nepal, and soldiers initially stayed in their barracks as police lost control of the situation. Security forces started to mobilize late Tuesday, saying they were committed to preserving law and order.

The overall death toll in the violence has reached 30, the Health Ministry said Wednesday, with 1,033 people injured. The toll has risen as reports on casualties trickled in from other parts of the country.

On Wednesday, soldiers quelled a jailbreak in the heart of Kathmandu. Inmates at the main jail had overpowered guards, set fire to buildings and tried to escape. Soldiers fired into the air, apprehended the escaping inmates and transferred them to other jails. No injuries were reported.

Binaj Gurubacharya, The Associated Press