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Maoists Attack Paramilitary Camp in WB, 22 Troops Dead

Nearly 22 security personnel have been killed in an attack on their camp by armed Maoists in West Bengal, reported BBC citing officials.

Report said that as many as 50 rebels on motorcycles girdled the camp of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (ERF) at Silda village on Monday and started firing on it.

Then, more fighters who came on foot joined that assault and fired from automatic weapons, said report.

District magistrate of West Midnapore district NS Nigam said that rebels overran the camp after the brief initial resistance put up by the troops, said report.

“The Maoists then burnt down the camp and planted landmines on the entire length of the road leading to the camp. Reinforcements with night vision and anti-landmine vehicles reached the camp late at night,” Nigam was quoted as saying.

He said that around 22 bodies were recovered from in and around the camp, of which, some are badly charred, report said.

Troops injured seriously in the gunfight are being moved to Kolkata for treatment, while 12 soldiers are still missing, said report citing officials.

Reinforcements could reach Silda after four hours, for landmines were planted on the entire stretch of the road, report said.

According to officials leading the reinforcements, many of paramilitary troops were shot dead when they were trying to escape the fire, said report.

Bhupinder Singh, DGP, said that around 50 ERF troops were in the camp when the assault took place.

Chief of the rebels’ military wing, Koteswara Rao – alias Kishenji – claimed responsibility for the attack, said report.

He said this attack was the beginning of ‘Operation Peace Hunt’, the Maoist answer to the government ‘Operation Green Hunt’ launched against the Maoists recently, said report.

“We are looking for peace but we are forced to fight and kill the poor troops of the government forces. We will mourn the death of those killed but the government is responsible for their death,” he was quoted as saying.

Report said that the Maoist leader warned of more such attacks unless Operation Green Hunt was stopped.

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