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Maoist Guerrillas Kill Nine Indian Security Forces in Roadside Bomb Attack
Nine security personnel were killed in a deadly Maoist bomb blast in Chhattisgarh, India, amid escalating tensions in the long-running insurgency.
ND
by News Desk
2025-01-06
Maoist Guerrillas Kill Nine Indian Security Forces in Roadside Bomb Attack

Indian Maoist guerrillas, known as Naxalites, killed nine members of the security forces by detonating a roadside bomb in the central state of Chhattisgarh. The explosion, which sent the security vehicle into the air, ripped a deep crater into the road, according to media reports and photographs. The incident occurred as the soldiers were returning from an anti-Maoist operation on Saturday in which both rebels and a police officer were killed.

The attack killed eight security personnel and the driver of the vehicle, as confirmed by Vivekanand Sinha, chief of the state police’s anti-Maoist operations. The Maoist insurgency, which has been ongoing for decades, is primarily fueled by the group’s fight for the rights of marginalized indigenous people in India’s resource-rich central regions.

The insurgency, which has claimed over 10,000 lives, continues to challenge government forces. In 2024 alone, 287 Maoists were reported killed by security forces. Despite the government's efforts to curb the rebellion, including major operations targeting rebel strongholds, the Maoist movement continues to pose a significant threat in central India. The latest attack is a stark reminder of the resilience of the Naxalites, who are inspired by the Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong.

In response to the insurgency, Indian authorities have ramped up their offensive against the Maoists, including mass arrests. In 2024, around 1,000 suspected Naxalites were arrested, with 837 surrendering. India's Interior Minister Amit Shah has previously warned the rebels to surrender or face an "all-out" assault, with the government aiming to crush the insurgency by early 2026.

The Maoist movement, which began in 1967 in Naxalbari, a district in West Bengal, gained considerable strength through the 2000s. In response, the government deployed tens of thousands of security personnel to control the insurgency in what is known as the "Red Corridor." In recent years, however, the government has invested millions of dollars in infrastructure and social projects to undermine the Maoists' appeal to local populations. The insurgency has since been largely restricted to more remote areas, but attacks such as Monday’s show the ongoing threat posed by the rebels.
Tagged:

india

SecurityForces

Chhattisgarh

MaoistAttack

NaxaliteInsurgency

Rebels
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