Indian security forces killed 16 Maoist rebels in Chhattisgarh, seizing weapons in an ongoing operation. The government vows to eliminate the insurgency by 2026.

Indian security forces killed at least 16 Maoist rebels in a gunfight on Saturday, according to police reports.

"We have so far recovered 16 bodies from the Maoists," police chief P. Sundarraj told the AFP news agency, adding that the death toll could rise further.

During the operation, two security personnel sustained minor injuries, an official informed the Indian newspaper The Hindustan Times.

Security forces launched a raid on Friday night in the dense forests of Sukma district, where they discovered multiple firearms.

Sundarraj stated that the operation was still ongoing and that government forces had recovered a substantial cache of weaponry. Among the seized arms were rocket and grenade launchers, assault weapons, and various rifles.

Saturday’s encounter in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh comes as authorities intensify efforts to put an end to the long-standing Maoist insurgency.

The rebellion, often referred to as the "Naxalite" movement, has spanned several decades and has claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people.

Maoist rebels assert that they are fighting for the rights of impoverished Indian farmers and landless laborers, particularly in the country’s resource-rich central regions.

Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured his third term in office last year, clashes between security forces and Maoist insurgents have escalated.

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah has pledged to eliminate the insurgency, reinforcing the government’s stance against the rebels.

"Another strike on Naxalism! Our security agencies have neutralized 16 Naxalites and recovered a massive cache of automatic weapons in an operation in Sukma. Under the leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji, we are resolved to eradicate Naxalism before the 31st of March 2026,” Shah wrote on X.