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ULFA-I claims Indian drones killed 3 cadres across Myanmar border; Army denies
Two officers posted in Guwahati and Nagaland have said that the Indian Army has no inputs on such an operation across the Myanmar border
GUWAHATI: The banned United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-i) on Sunday claimed that drone attacks by the Indian Army on one of its camps in Myanmar have claimed the lives of at least three senior leaders of the outfit. Army officials have denied any knowledge of such action across the border.
In a statement, the ULFA-I claimed that the attack by “Indian occupational forces” took place at several camps from the border with Myanmar near Longwa in Nagaland till Pangsai Pass in Arunachal Pradesh between 2 am and 4am on Sunday. The outfit claimed that nearly 150-plus drones used in the attack were manufactured in Israel and France. It said the attacks claimed the life of the outfit’s lieutenant general Nayan Medhi (alias Nayan Asom) and injured 19 others.
In a second release, the ULFA-I claimed that two more leaders, brigadier Ganesh Asom and colonel Pradip Asom, were killed in a subsequent missile attack.
“While the last rites of Nayan Asom were being carried out, missile attacks were carried out in which Ganesh Asom and Pradip Asom became martyrs and several officers, cadres and civilians sustained injuries,” the statement issued on Sunday by a self-styled second lieutenant Ishan Asom, which HT has seen, said.
The ULFA-I statement added that Indian Army operations in the area across the border were still continuing till Sunday morning. The outfit vowed to give a befitting reply to the action on its camps.
HT can’t independently verify the claims made by the banned outfit or the authenticity of the statement.
“No inputs with the Indian Army on such an operation,” said a senior Indian Army officer posted in Guwahati. Another officer posted in Nagaland also stated that no inputs were available.
Meanwhile, people familiar with the matter said that camps belonging to the banned underground outfits National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) were targeted by a drone strike carried out by the Indian Army inside Myanmar territory. Some of these camps were reportedly affected during the operation.
However, there is no official confirmation yet regarding casualties from either of the two insurgent groups.
A senior Indian Army officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told HT, “We do not have any inputs regarding the said attack. We also saw some news links circulating on social media. But the strike was targeted solely at the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) camp.”
This has been the second such attack on an ULFA-I camp in Myanmar since last year. The outfit had claimed on January 8 last year that “Indian occupational forces” had carried out a drone attack on one of its camps in Myanmar the previous day in which two of its cadres sustained minor injuries.
The ULFA-I, which is headed by Paresh Baruah, has several camps in Myanmar. The outfit, which is different from the pro-talks faction of the outfit, is opposed to talks unless the issue of a sovereign Assam is part of the deliberations.
