Indian authorities say Maoist rebels have killed at least nine police officers in central India. Police say rebels ambushed the police officers Friday in the Dantewada district of Chattisgarh state.
At least three Maoists were killed in the ensuing clash.Maoist rebels say they are fighting for the rights of the poor and landless. They are active in at least 13 of India's 29 states. Their decades-long insurgency has left thousands dead.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called the Maoists the gravest threat to India's internal security.