Patna: Police say Maoist rebels have killed at least seven paramilitary soldiers by blowing up their armoured vehicle in central India.

Top police officer R.K. Sahu says the rebels detonated a roadside land mine on Wednesday near Malewara, a village in Chhattisgarh state. The Central Reserve Police Force soldiers came under attack while patrolling the area.

The rebels have been fighting for more than three decades demanding a greater share of wealth from the area’s natural resources and more jobs for farmers and the poor. They often attack security forces and government officials accusing them of perpetuating inequalities.

The rebels, who have been called India’s biggest internal security threat, operate in 20 of India’s 28 states and have thousands of fighters, according to India’s Home Ministry.