A huge fire broke out at Singha Durbar Palace on September 9 in central Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, after protesters set it on fire. The parliament building and the presidential palace were also set on fire.
The Singha Durbar Palace, built in 1908, is the seat of the Nepalese government. Several ministries and key agencies have their main offices here, according to RT today, September 10.
Since September 8, protests mainly involving 18-19 year olds to their early 20s (Gen Z) have erupted after the Nepalese government banned major social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and X.
The protests quickly escalated into violence, with dozens of people killed in Kathmandu and around 500 injured, including more than 100 police officers.
On September 9, protesters broke through the west gate of the Singha Durbar Palace, stormed the restricted area, and set fire to part of the entrance.
Several news agencies, including AP and AFP, reported clashes between protesters and security forces as the crowd advanced deeper into the palace.
Another clip showed the Nepalese parliament building also on fire, with charred walls, thick smoke rising and flames continuing to burn as hundreds gathered outside.
AFP images on September 10 also recorded the presidential palace being set on fire on September 9. AFP quoted Ekram Giri, spokesman for the Parliamentary Secretariat, as confirming the building was on fire.
President Ramchandra Paudel called on “all sides to exercise restraint and not let the situation escalate and cause further damage.”
Earlier, Reuters reported on September 9 that Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli decided to resign, after protests broke out against corruption and a ban on social media. He said his resignation, effective from September 9, was “due to the adverse situation in the country” and “to facilitate the resolution of the problem and support its resolution through a political solution.” Nepalese President Ram Chandra Paudel accepted Mr. Oli’s resignation and began the process of selecting a new prime minister.