NEW DELHI, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- At least 14 Naxals were killed Monday in a fierce gunfight with government forces in central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, officials said.

The gunfight broke out inside the forest area of Konta in Sukma district, about 395 km south of Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh.

"Early today in a fierce gunfight between Naxals and joint contingents of police and paramilitary in forest area between Gollapalli and Konta of Sukma 14 Naxals were killed," senior police official Abhishek Meena said.

According to officials, the area was cordoned off late Sunday night and gunfight began Monday morning.

Officials said 16 assault rifles have been recovered from the area.

"The gunfight continued for several hours and right now searches are underway," the police official said.

The Naxalite insurgency has its genesis in the violent left-wing rebellion that began in 1967 at village Naxalbari in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Currently Naxals are active in more than a third of India's 600-odd districts across central and eastern India.

New Delhi has deployed several companies of its paramilitary forces to take on Naxals in their strongholds.

The insurgency reportedly has claimed more than 6,000 lives and rendered thousands of poor inhabitants homeless.