India says forces killed 28 Maoist rebels in Chhattisgarh

Indian security forces killed 28 suspected Maoist rebels in a gun battle in the central state of Chhattisgarh, police said on Friday.

Police were conducting a search in the areas bordering the Narayanpur and Dantewada districts when the fighting between officers and the suspected rebels broke out.

The rebels subscribe to a form of communism propagated by late Chinese leader Mao Zedong, and have waged a guerrilla-style offensive against the government, especially in central and eastern India, for decades, leading to periodic clashes and casualties on both sides.

The police gave no details on whether there had been any casualties among its ranks in this incident.