Indian troops killed dozens of Maoist rebels in Abujhmad forest | Issues of Armed Groups

Police say 31 Maoist rebels have been killed in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh after a nine-hour battle.

At least 31 suspected Maoist rebels were killed in clashes with Indian security forces, state police said.

The clash took place on Friday after opposition forces, acting on intelligence, surrounded about 50 suspected insurgents in the dense Abujhmad forest, which is located on the border between Narayanpur and Dantewada districts of Chhattisgarh, according to Inspector General Pattilingam Sundarraj on Saturday.

The work, which started on Thursday, led to a fire that lasted nine hours the next day. Security personnel have since conducted a search operation in the area and recovered several weapons, including automatic rifles. No injuries or casualties were reported among the government forces.

There was no immediate statement from the rebels.

India’s military has been engaged in a long-running battle with Maoist rebels, known as Naxalites, since 1967. The armed insurgency began as a movement seeking jobs, land, and a large portion of the wealth from the natural resources of the country’s impoverished indigenous communities. .

Rebels, inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, were active in several central and northern provinces.

Over the years, India has invested millions of dollars in infrastructure development in remote areas as part of its counter-insurgency efforts. The government says the war will end in 45 districts by 2023, down from 96 in 2010.

The conflict has also seen several attacks on government forces over the years. 22 policemen and soldiers were killed in a gun battle with leftist rebels in 2021.

Sixteen commandos were also killed in the western state of Maharashtra in a bomb attack blamed on Maoists ahead of the 2019 general elections.

In addition, the rebels ambushed the police, destroyed government offices and kidnapped officials. They also blew up railways, attacked prisons to free their comrades and stole weapons from police and military depots to arm themselves.