Kathmandu, Jan 30 In the wake of deepening controversy over fresh recruitment in the Nepal Army (NA), former United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) Chief Ian Martin has said that the NA cannot fill its vacant posts as per the agreement. antipur quoted Martin as saying that it would be against the agreement to make new recruitment in the Nepal Army.

He expressed displeasure over the fact that the Nepal Army continued with the recruitment drive instead of discussing the issue with the joint monitoring committee of the United Nations, the Nepal Army and the CPN-Maoist.

He further said that the Nepal's peace process is at a complicated juncture and the biggest challenges for Nepal are the integration of the Maoist combatants into the Nepal Army.

The relation between the Maoist government and the Nepal Army has been souring after the Maoist Defense Minister Ram Bahadru Thapa directed the latter to stop the recruitment process to fill around 2800 vacant posts in the Army. (ANI)