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Indian Forces Kill 14 Maoists, Including Top Commander
Indian security forces killed at least 14 Maoist rebels, including a top commander, in a major clash on Tuesday, marking one of the most intense bouts of fighting in recent months.
The interior ministry confirmed that the slain commander was Jairam, also known as Chalpati, who had a $115,000 bounty on his head. This attack follows the killing of 12 Maoists in Chhattisgarh state on January 16, as part of ongoing efforts to tackle the decades-long insurgency.
The Maoist rebels, or Naxalites, claim to fight for the rights of marginalized communities in India’s resource-rich central regions. Over 10,000 people have died in the insurgency, which began in 1967, inspired by Mao Zedong's ideology.
Interior Minister Amit Shah hailed the operation as a significant blow to the Maoist movement, declaring, “Naxalism is breathing its last.” Shah, who has set a target to defeat the rebels by March 2026, confirmed the 14 rebels had been “neutralized.”
Police reinforcements have been dispatched to the area, where forces remain engaged in ongoing operations, according to Vivekananda Sinha, head of Chhattisgarh's anti-Maoist operations. The insurgency, primarily centered in India’s eastern and southern regions, has seen numerous deadly attacks on security forces, including a roadside bomb earlier this month that killed at least nine Indian soldiers.