At least 12 Naxals were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Sukma on Thursday, sources said.
The encounter took place near the Bijapur-Sukma district border as security forces tasted major success in their anti-Naxal campaign in the state.
A Self-Loading Rifle (SLR) and many other weapons were recovered from the encounter site, sources added.
Personnel from DRG, Cobra 205, 206, 208, 210 and 229 battalions of three districts, Sukma, Bijapur and Dantewada carried out the operation, in which the Naxalites suffered heavy casualties.
The latest encounter came just four days after three Naxalites were killed in an encounter in Bijapur district.
According to police sources, the gunfight started in a forest when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxalite operation. The police team included personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRF), Special Task Force (STF) and the district force were involved in the operation.
The security forces have stepped up their anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh. On January 4, five Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district.
Later on January 6, eight District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel and a driver were killed after Naxals blew up their vehicle using an improvised explosive device (IED) in the state's Bijapur district. The blast occurred on the Bedre-Kutru Road in the district when the security team was returning from an anti-Naxal operation.
The Narendra Modi-led central government has vowed to end Naxalism in the country by March 31, 2026.
Source: India Today