Seven Maoists, including three women fighters, have been killed in an ongoing encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Thursday morning. Police said the count could rise in the hours to come.

Dantewada superintendent of police Kamalochan Kashyap said the shootout between Maoists and security personnel broke out while a joint team of special task force personnel and district reserve guards was carrying out a search operation in Timenaar Pahadi area early on Thursday. “Seven bodies of slain Maoists have been recovered until now. They are yet to be identified. We have also recovered six weapons, including an Insas rifle,” he added.

Additional police personnel have been sent to the scene of the encounter.

This incident follows the killing of 10 Maoists in a forested area bordering Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district and Telangana this March. Further details are awaited.