Nepal's ex-rebel fighters begin leaving camps

Nepal's former communist rebels have begun leaving the camps they've called home for five years after receiving government checks as part of a plan to integrate them into society.

Chief government monitor Balananda Sharma says officials started handing out the checks to the former Maoist rebel fighters on Friday and that it would take a few more days to complete the process.

Each of the former rebels is to receive from 500,000 rupees ($6,250) to 800,000 rupees ($10,000), depending on their rank in the People's Liberation Army. Sharma says they'll be given half the amount now and the other half later this year.

The former rebels have lived in the camps since the Maoists gave up their 10-year armed revolt in 2006 and joined a peace process.

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