At least eight security personnel from the District Reserve Guard and a driver were killed on Monday when their vehicle was attacked by suspected Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur District, the Hindustan Times reported.

The police vehicle was blown up using an improvised explosive device around 2:15 pm near Ambeli village, Inspector General of Police for Bastar Range Sundarraj P said.

He said that the personnel who have been killed are being identified, adding that additional security personal had reached the area and were carrying out combing operations.

The attack is reportedly the biggest strike by Maoists on security personnel in two years, PTI reported.

The security personnel, who are part of a specialised anti-Maoist unit of the state police, were reportedly returning from the first anti-Maoist operation of the year which was held in Abujhmad on Saturday. At least four suspected Maoists and a District Reserve Guard member died during Saturday’s operation.

Abujhmad is a large forested area bordering the Narayanpur and Kanker districts in Bastar region. The area is a stronghold of Maoist militants.