Raipur, July 13 (IANS) Five people, including three Maoist rebels, were killed in two separate incidents in Chhattisgarh's violence-wracked Dantewada district Thursday, police said.

Two tribals were shot dead in a forested belt of Dornapal on Sukma-Konta area near national highway 221 while Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers gunned down three guerrillas under Mirtur police station locality, 510 km south of here.

"We have two civilian casualties while three Maoist rebels were killed in a CRPF and police raid in Dantewada," Bastar range inspector general T.J. Longkumer said.

Dantewada district that forms the 40,000 sq km forested but mineral rich Bastar region along with Kanker and Bastar districts, has witnessed surge in Maoist violence during the past one year.

Maoists, who claim to fight for the landless labourers and poor peasants, have killed more than 180 civilians in the state mainly in Dantewada district this year.