Aug 15 (Reuters) - Nepal's former rebel chief Prachanda became the country's first elected Maoist prime minister to head the first government since the 239-year-old monarchy was abolished. The following is a chronology of the Maoist conflict and Prachanda's rise to power: 1994 - The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) is founded by Pushpa Kamal Dahal, known by his nom de guerre, Prachanda. Feb 1996 - Maoists, who oppose the Himalayan country's constitutional monarchy, launch a "people's war" to establish a single-party communist republic. 1996-2000 - The Maoist launch a low-intensity insurgency and target ill-trained and poorly armed police. 2001-2005 - The Maoists attack army barracks and steal modern weapons, and drag the army into conflict that turns into a full-scale guerrilla war. They begin attacks on district capitals, army posts and intensify transport strikes, choking Kathmandu of essential goods such as fuel. Feb 2005 - King Gyanendra takes absolute power, vowing to crush the Maoists. Sept 2005 - Maoist rebels announce a unilateral ceasefire but the royalist government rejects it. Nov 2005 - Maoists join a loose alliance with the seven main political parties to end royal rule. Jan 2006 - Rebels end ceasefire. April 2006 - King Gyanendra gives up absolute power after widespread protests. Veteran politician Girija Prasad Koirala, sworn in as prime minister, invites rebels for talks. June 2006 - New government agrees with Maoists to dissolve parliament and form interim administration that includes rebels. Nov 2006 - Prime Minister Koirala and rebel chief Prachanda sign a peace deal, ending a civil war that killed more than 13,000 people. Jan 2007 - Parliament scraps old constitution and adopts new interim constitution. Maoists control 84 seats in the 329-member interim legislature. Dec 2007 - The ruling alliance and the Maoists agree to abolish the monarchy after the elections. April 2008 - Maoists emerge the biggest political party in a constituent assembly after Nepal's first elections in nearly nine years. May 2008 - The first meeting of the constituent assembly overwhelmingly votes to abolish the monarchy and gives the ousted King Gyanendra two weeks to leave the palace. June 2008 - Gyanendra quits the palace. July 2008 - Ram Baran Yadav is elected first president of the republic of Nepal. August 15, 2008 - Prachanda becomes prime minister. (Compiled by Gopal Sharma; Editing by Michael Winfrey)
A Kashmiri Muslim protester shouts pro-freedom slogans in front a senior Indian police officer during a protest in Srinagar August 15, 2008. Protesters shouting "we want freedom" took to the streets ...
