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| India-Pakistan |
| Maoist rebels kill 15 paramilitary police in India |
| 2012-03-28 |
| [Dawn] Maoist rebels ambushed a patrol team in central India on Tuesday, killing at least 15 paramilitary coppers, a police official said. The coppers were travelling through a densely forested area of Maharashtra state when the rebels set off a land mine, blowing up their vehicle, the official said. Another 13 coppers were maimed in the powerful blast, he said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. The rebels, who say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been fighting for more than three decades in several Indian states, demanding land and jobs for agricultural labourers and the poor. They frequently target police and government officials, whom they accuse of colluding with landlords and rich farmers to exploit the poor. The rebels are now present in 20 of India's 28 states and have an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 fighters, according to the Home Ministry. Thousands of people _ including police, Islamic fascisti and civilians _ have died in the violence in recent years. Police and paramilitary soldiers were searching the area in Gadchiroli district where Tuesday's attack took place, but the rebels decamped after they set off the land mine, the official said. Additional troops were also sent to the Gadchiroli region in northeast Maharashtra, which is considered a rebel stronghold. |
| Posted by:Fred |