Indian security forces engage in fierce clashes with Maoist rebels in Chhattisgarh state
(MENAFN) Indian security forces engaged in fierce clashes with Maoist rebels in the forested heartland of Chhattisgarh state on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of at least four guerillas and one policeman, according to Police reports. The skirmishes occurred in the Abujhmarh district, a stronghold of the insurgency that has plagued India for decades. Police Inspector General P. Sunderraj confirmed the recovery of four bodies of Maoists dressed in battle uniforms and stated that operations in the area were ongoing.
The Maoist insurgency, led by Naxalite rebels, has claimed more than 10,000 lives over several decades. The rebels claim to be fighting for the rights of marginalized indigenous communities in India’s resource-rich central regions. Over the past year, government forces have ramped up operations to end the conflict, resulting in 287 Maoists killed in 2024 alone, according to official figures.
India’s Interior Minister Amit Shah, in a stern warning issued in September, urged Maoist rebels to surrender or face a comprehensive military offensive. Shah expressed confidence that the government would successfully quash the insurgency by early 2026, citing the rebels' reduced operational territory in recent years.
The Naxalites, whose armed campaign began in 1967 in the Naxalbari district of West Bengal, drew inspiration from the Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong. Their movement once held sway over vast regions but has since been significantly restricted, as government forces have made steady advances in reclaiming territory.
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