Maoist rebels managed to kill at least 11 servicemen of the Indian Security Forces and seize their weapons in Chhattisgarh state.
Photo: AP / Mustafa Quraish
At least 11 servicemen of the Indian Security Forces lost their lives in an attack, launched by Maoist rebels in the south of the central state of Chhattisgarh, local media reported on Saturday.
As the Times of India newspaper reported, citing police officials, a patrol of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) came under fire of rebels in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh state. According to earlier reports, which quoted chief minister of Chhattisgarh state, Raman Singh, nine people were killed in the attack.
The patrol was on a road opening mission, aimed to secure a stretch of road, running through dense forests. Reportedly, the attackers managed to seize almost a dozen weapons and two radio sets from killed servicemen.
The Maoists, also known as the Naxals or the Naxalites, have been fighting the Indian government since the 1960s. Currently, rebels operate in a number of central and eastern states, including Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand. The armed group hides in Indian forests and conducts guerrilla warfare, targeting the country’s security forces and government officials.