At least 40 soldiers have been killed after Maoist rebels launched a series of attacks on security convoys in central India, police say.Rebels first attacked paramilitary forces engaged in an anti-Maoist offensive in the Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh state early on Tuesday.
Police said that two subsequent rescue missions were then ambushed by rebels. Clashes are still ongoing, reports say.
Thousands have died during the rebels' 20-year fight for communist rule.
The Indian government recently began a major offensive against the rebels in several states.
Repeat ambushes
At least nine soldiers were also injured in the Chhattsigarh attacks. Officials say that the rebels initially attacked a convoy of the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the Talmetla area.
RK Vij, a spokesman for the CRPF, told a news channel that about 80 soldiers were attacked by some 1,000 rebels.
He said the convoy was returning to its camp after a military operation.
"The injured troops have been evacuated by helicopter. More reinforcements have been sent," Mr Vij said.
The rebels then attacked a convoy of troops which had been sent to rescue their colleagues. A third rescue party was also attacked by rebels, police said, adding that clashes were still ongoing.
It is unclear how many soldiers were killed in each attack.
The rebels have warned that such attacks would intensify unless the government halted its offensive against them.
Home Minister P Chidambaram has threatened to intensify the offensive if the rebels did not start talks by renouncing violence.
The Maoists have said they would agree to talks if four of their senior leaders now in jail were released and the offensive was halted.
Indian Prime minister Manmohan Singh has described the Maoist insurgency as India's "greatest internal security challenge".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8604256.stm
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