Fourteen Army men, belonging to Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR), were feared killed in a Maoists attack at Sildha in West Midnapore district of West Bengal which took place on Monday evening at 5.30 pm.

 Maoists claimed the responsibility of the attack and said that it is retaliation to ‘Operation Greeg Hunt’. “We have attacked the camp and this is our answer to Chidambaram’s ‘Operation Green Hunt’ and unless the Centre stops this inhuman military operation we are going to answer this way only,” Kishenji, top Maoist leader said from an undisclosed location.

 Top police sources said that. “According to information available here, nine jawans were burnt to death and five others were shot dead. We are yet to get the detailed figure of the casualty,” “There were 51 EFR jawans and officers in the camp when the attack took place,” S Purakayastha IGP told as reported by PTI.

Reports say that the Maoists barged to the Army camp and set it on fire after engaging in an initial exchange of fire with the sentries. As per the latest reports, night vision force with anti-landmine vehicles have been rushed to the camp from nearby Binpur. 

Maoists also claimed that they have looted sophisticated arms including AK-47, SLR and mortars from the camp and there were at least 35 Eastern Frontier jawans who have been killed. They threatened to repeat the attacks, if needed.