Mumbai, March 29 -- At least 16 Naxalites were killed, and two security personnel sustained injuries in a major anti-Maoist operation in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Saturday, officials said.

The injured jawans belonged to the District Reserve Guard (DRG), a unit of the state police, they said.

The gunfight broke out at around 8 am in the forest under the Kerlapal police station area, where a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxalite operation, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range Sundarraj P told PTI.

"Bodies of 16 Naxalites have been recovered from the encounter site so far. The operation is still underway," he said.

The IG said personnel from the DRG and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were invol...