Kolkata, Aug 26 - Operations against Maoist rebels in West Bengal's tribal-dominated western districts has hit the monsoon roadblock - fields full of water and flooded jungles hampering force movement.

'We're facing obstruction in some areas because of the heavy monsoon rains. Most of the open fields are now full of water and we just can't march through them as we were doing two months back,' West Midnapore Police Superintendent M.K. Verma told IANS.

'The rainy season has made the dense forest areas inaccessible, impacting the speed of the operation,' he said.

More than two months have elapsed after central paramilitary troopers and crack units of the West Bengal police launched the anti-Maoist campaign aiming to free Lalgarh and its surrounding areas in West Midnapore district from the left-wing rebels. The operation was later expanded to two other Maoist-affected districts of Bankura and Purulia.

According to sources, the security forces have changed their modus operandi and are now advancing in a 'go-slow' mode due to the arrival of the monsoon.

'It's a part of the security forces' tactics, and we need to change our strategies from time to time to attain success in a long-drawn operation,' state Additional Director General of police (Criminal Investigation Department) Raj Kanojia told IANS.

Kanojia was one of the strategists of the operation in his earlier posting as Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) ever since the push to reclaim the rebel-held areas began June 18.

'The area is densely covered by forest; so we have to keep everything in mind and consider the weather also while conducting any security operation,' he said.

Despite being equipped with the GPS (Global Positioning System), the police and central forces are not able to move deep into the forest areas considered as Maoist strongholds.

'We accept that the Maoist rebels know the entire forest region very well and they can navigate much faster than us through these areas.