Bijapur: Nine security forces, including a driver, were killed in an attack carried out by Maoist rebels, known as Naxals, in central India. The incident took place when the Naxalites detonated an IED, destroying a police vehicle in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh state.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Naxalites are an insurgent group inspired by far-left radical communists who support the Maoist political ideology. They have been engaged in a conflict against the government in eastern and central India since 1967, claiming to fight for the rights of tribal people. Chhattisgarh's Chief Minister, Vishnu Deo Sa, condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the families of the victims. He stated that the Naxalites are reacting out of frustration due to the ongoing Naxal eradication campaign in Bastar, and asserted that the soldiers' martyrdom would not be in vain, emphasizing the continued effort to end Naxalism.

This attack is considered the largest strike on security personnel by Naxalites in the last two years. Previously, on April 26, 2023, ten police personnel and a civilian driver were killed in a similar attack when rebels targeted a convoy carrying security personnel in the neighboring Dantewada district. Government figures for 2024 indicate that approximately 287 Naxal rebels were killed.

India's Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed his sorrow over the incident, affirming that the soldiers' sacrifice would not be in vain. He reiterated the government's commitment to ending the insurgency by March 2026.