Nepal's prime minister quits after deaths during 'gen Z' protests

Nepal's prime minister resigned yesterday after some of the worst unrest in decades rocked the country this week, set off by a ban on social media and discontent at political corruption and nepotism.

- Hannah Ellis-Petersen Delhi Gaurav Pokharel Kathmandu

KP Sharma Oli's resignation came a day after widespread protests were met with deadly force by police, leaving 19 dead and hundreds injured. The protests were sparked by a government ban on 26 popular social media platforms but escalated into a mass movement against corruption among political elites.

The government decision to roll back the ban on sites such as Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube and X on Monday night did nothing to quell the anger among young people, who continued what is being called the "gen Z" protests.

In defiance of curfews, protests continued to erupt across the country yesterday and thousands stormed the federal parliament building in Kathmandu and set it alight. Fires burned across the capital and riot police were pelted with stones. Political leaders were evacuated to safe locations and Kathmandu airport was closed down.