AT LEAST 17 troops have been killed when unidentified fighters in a restive part of northeast India ambushed them, police have said.

N Herojit, superintendent of police in the district of Manipur state, where the attack took place, said the ambush took place at 7am yesterday.

The attack occurred as the convoy was on its way from a small town to Imphal, the capital of Manipur state, a police officer said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to reporters.

No other details were immediately available, Al jazeera report.

In April, fighters armed with automatic weapons fired at two trucks carrying Indian paramilitary soldiers in neighbouring Nagaland state, killing eight of them.

Indian forces in the mountainous region, known for its natural beauty, have been battling armed groups for decades.

Most of the main rebel groups in Manipur state are not engaged in cease-fire talks with the Indian government, unlike those in other remote northeastern states.

The rebel groups accuse the Indian government of exploiting the region’s rich natural resources while neglecting local development.