Indian Army Denies Drone Strikes On ULFA (I) Camps In Myanmar After Insurgent Group Claims 19 Killed
The Indian Army denied that it had carried out drone attacks on the eastern headquarters of the banned insurgent group United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) in Myanmar. According to news agency IANS, the banned ULFA-I on Sunday claimed that its eastern headquarters in Myanmar had been targeted by the Indian Army with drones in the early hours.
In a press statement, the banned outfit claimed that in these cross-border strikes, 19 of their cadres have been killed and another 19 injured.
Reports indicate that the senior ULFA (I) commander Nayan Medhi was killed in the attack, and some cadres of Manipuri insurgent groups, including the Revolutionary People's Front (RPF), which is the political wing of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of Manipur present at the camp, were also killed and some injured.
In an official statement, the Indian Army denied these claims.
"There are no inputs with the Indian Army on such an operation," Lt Col Mahendra Rawat, PRO Defence Guwahati, told IANS.
ULFA (I), headed by Paresh Barua, is now left with only one senior functionary, Arunodoy Dohotiya, who is in Myanmar. Another ULFA (I) commander operating out of Myanmar camps, Rupom Asom, was arrested by Assam Police in May.
According to news agency IANS sources, Baruah, who has deep links with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and was reportedly staying in bordering areas of China-Myanmar-India (Arunachal Pradesh), is at the lowest point of his insurgency activity.
The people familiar with the matter told the news agency IANS that these attacks on ULFA (I) headquarters could be due to the infighting amongst these banned outfits.
Myanmar, which is being ruled by the Tatmadaw (Army), is witnessing a spate of attacks by several militant outfits, and the India-Myanmar border has been used several times by these proscribed outfits, such as ULFA (I), to set up their camps there.
The fighting near the border has been a matter of deep concern for the Indian security establishment. In 2025, at least 10 militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces near the India-Myanmar border in Manipur's Chandel district.
(With IANS inputs.)
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