India: Maoist insurgents kill two in Chhattisgarh March 7

Event

Maoist insurgents detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) in Kanker district (Chhattisgarh state) on the evening of Wednesday, March 7 (local time), killing two Indian Border Security Force (BSF) agents. The IED attack and subsequent exchange of gunfire between BSF members and the Maoist militants reportedly took place near the village of Maspur (close to Rowghat) amid a counterinsurgency operation launched on Tuesday, March 6, against Maoist positions in the Matla reserve forest area of Kanker district. Additional Maoist militant attacks are possible in Chhattisgarh and other Indian states affected by the ongoing insurgency in the coming weeks.

Context

Maoist rebels are believed to be present in at least 20 Indian states, and are most active in the states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Odisha. Members of the group, also known as Naxalites, have actively led an insurgency in India since 1967, calling for more resources to be devoted to poor, rural communities.

Advice

Individuals in the affected area are advised to remain vigilant and adhere to all instructions issued by local authorities. Some Western governments have warned their citizens planning travel to or within states with known Maoist (Naxalite) activity to prepare for potentially significant disruptions to travel plans during periods of heightened unrest.