At Lease 12 Maoist Rebels Killed in Central India Gun Battle

In the midst of India’s ongoing national elections, security forces in the central state of Chhattisgarh killed at least 12 Maoist rebels on Friday, the Reuters reported.

The incident marked the third major encounter between government troops and the communist insurgents in recent weeks.

The Maoists, who follow a Maoist ideology, have waged a long-running guerrilla-style campaign against the Indian government, mainly in central and eastern regions of the country. The rebels claim they are fighting to give poor farmers and laborers more control over land and resources.

This comes as polling in Chhattisgarh was completed on May 7, and vote counting is scheduled for June 4.