India Claims Landmark Killing of Top Maoist Rebel Leader

Indian security forces have neutralized a top communist rebel leader, Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah announced, describing the operation as a significant milestone in the country’s long-standing battle against one of the world’s longest-running insurgencies.

Shah stated that troops executed the operation in Chhattisgarh, killing 27 Maoist rebels, including Nambala Keshav Rao, the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). The move, he said, marks the first time in three decades that a high-ranking leader from the CPI (Maoist) has been eliminated by Indian security forces.

The CPI (Maoist) is a left-wing armed group that has been central to the Naxalite movement, which has been in conflict with the Indian government since 1967. The group’s activities are primarily concentrated in the