Sukma, March 29 (IANS): Security forces eliminated 16 Maoists in an intense encounter in the Kerlapal area of Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Saturday. The gunfight erupted as part of a joint anti-Maoist operation launched by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) based on specific Intelligence regarding Maoist presence in the region. Officials confirmed that the joint team moved into the area on March 28, and intermittent firing between security forces and the insurgents continued into early Saturday morning. Following the successful operation, search teams have been deployed to comb through the encounter site and the surrounding forested terrain. Authorities stated that a detailed report will be released once the operation concludes. Sukma, one of the worst Maoist-affected districts in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, has witnessed multiple violent confrontations between Maoists and security personnel over the years. The encounter comes a day after a soldier was injured in Narayanpur district due to an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast triggered by Maoists. Additionally, on March 1, two Maoists were gunned down in the Kistaram police station limits of Sukma. February saw an escalation in anti-Naxal operations in the Bastar region, with at least 40 Maoists neutralised. On February 9, a record 31 insurgents carrying a combined bounty of Rs 1.10 crore were killed in Bijapur. Other major operations included the killing of a Maoist with an Rs 8 lakh bounty in Kanker-Narayanpur on February 3 and eight Naxalites eliminated in Gangalur, Bijapur on February 1. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has previously asserted that the ongoing anti-Naxal operations are in their final phase and that Maoism will be entirely eradicated from the country by March 2026.