A purported statement by Maoists seeking a “ceasefire” with preconditions could be a “tactical move” by the rebels to save their cadres in the wake of the ongoing onslaught by security forces inside the “liberated zone” of Chhattisgarh, sources in the security establishment on Thursday said.

“The ongoing all-out offensive by security forces in which Maoists have suffered heavy losses since January this year have pushed them to the wall. The latest offer of ceasefire could be a tactical move on their part to save their cadres from the crackdown,” said a security official with the Union home ministry.

The authenticity of the purported letter attributed to the outlawed CPI (Maoist), circulated on social media, is being verified, the official said.

“There is no question of halting the operations against the Maoists. The offensive will continue unless they choose to surrender. We are ready for dialogue but will not entertain any preconditions set by them,” the home ministry official said.

Union home minister Amit Shah has vowed to root out Left-wing Extremism (LWE) by March 2026. Since January at least 130 Maoists have been killed in encounters inside the forested areas of Chhattisgarh.

In a press release written in Hindi and attributed to the banned CPI (Maoist), its central committee said that it was ready for peace talks on the condition that the government halts its anti-Maoist operations in the region and stops the establishment of new camps of armed forces in various states, including Chhattisgarh.

The press statement also flagged concerns over human rights abuses, citing illegal detentions and torture of civilians. “We are always ready for peace talks in the interest of the people. Therefore, we are asking central and state governments to create a positive atmosphere for peace talks…. If central and state governments respond positively to these offers, we will immediately declare a ceasefire,” the statement said.

The statement demanded that the Centre commit to an immediate withdrawal of security forces from tribal-dominated areas, halting further deployment of troops in Maoist-affected regions, and complete cessation of counter-insurgency operations like Operation Kagar, to create a conducive environment for peace discussions.

The statement said the Maoists would immediately announce a ceasefire if the government halts operations and iterated that a peaceful resolution is possible if their conditions are met.

The Maoist leadership has accused the government of waging a “genocidal war” against tribals, aiming to suppress revolutionary movements, and said the use of force in civilian territories is unconstitutional and violates human rights principles.