9 government troops killed in Maoist attack in eastern India

PATNA, India – Police in eastern India say at least nine paramilitary soldiers have been killed by a land mine placed by Maoist rebels who are active in the area.

Police officer D.M. Awasthi says the soldiers were traveling between camps in the Sukma area of Chhattisgarh state on Tuesday when their vehicle drove over a land mine, resulting in an explosion. Two other soldiers were wounded in the blast.

The government says the insurgents, inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, are the country's most serious internal security threat. The rebels control large swaths of area in central and eastern India and say they are fighting to obtain more jobs, land and wealth from natural resources for poor and indigenous communities.