Indian troops kill 31 suspected Maoist rebels in forest battle

A major clash between Indian security forces and Maoist rebels in Chhattisgarh state’s Abhujmaad forest area resulted in at least 31 militants being killed on Friday. The nine-hour battle occurred when counterinsurgency troops cornered about 50 rebels near the Narayanpur-Dantewada border. No casualties were reported among security forces. This marks the deadliest clash this year in the ongoing conflict with Maoist rebels, who fight for indigenous communities’ rights. So far, 171 militants have been killed in Chhattisgarh this year.READ FULL