Drone attack by 'Indian security forces' targeted five camps in Myanmar: Manipur rebel group RPF

Guwahati: Indian security forces dropped bombs using high-end drones targeting four camps belonging to Ulfa-Independent and a joint camp of Ulfa-I and People's Liberation Army (PLA), Revolutionary People's Front (RPF), a Meitei rebel group, said on Monday.

RPF is the "political wing" of the PLA, a rebel group formed in Manipur, which has camps in neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh.

In an email statement on Monday, the RPF said more than 150 bombs were dropped using drones between midnight of Saturday and 4 am on Sunday. "There were no casualties on the PLA side," it said adding that Nayan Asom, "chairman of the Lower Council" of Ulfa-I was killed and some cadres of the outfit were injured.

The RPF statement came in reply to denial by Indian army officials about such developments.

Ulfa-I on Sunday issued three separate statements claiming that three of its leaders, Nayan Asom, Ganesh Asom and Pradip Asom died and 20 other cadres were injured in attacks on their Myanmar-based camps by the Indian security forces using drones and missiles. It said the attacks were carried out from across the Indo-Myanmar border between Langwa village in Nagaland and Pangsu Pass in Arunachal Pradesh. On Monday, Ulfa-I issued another email statement condemning the attack on their camps in Myanmar.

Indian army spokespersons based in Assam and Nagaland, however, said they did not have information about such action on insurgent camps in Myanmar.

Reacting to the development, Congress MP and president of the party's Assam unit, Gaurav Gogoi on Monday said the attack on Ulfa-I camps, if any, might damage the peace process in Assam. "The Central government should give clarification about this. Assamese people want to know clear answers from the Center regarding the purpose and consequences of this attack. Peace talks with Ulfa should continue," Gogoi said in a social media post.

Talks with Ulfa began when Gaurav's father Tarun Gogoi was the CM. Ulfa group led by chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa signed an agreement with the government last year. But the faction, Ulfa-I, led by Paresh Baruah refused to join talks without discussion on its "core demand" for "sovereign Assam."

Joint camps:

The insurgent groups, born in the Northeast, share camps in neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh, conducts joint training and help each others to push their causes. According to Indian security forces, Naga insurgent group NSCN also helps Ulfa-I in Naga-dominated Sagaing porvince of Myanmar.

Condemning the attacks, the RPF statement on Monday said, "The drone attacks and the proxy-wars initiated by Indian Army against PLA and ULFA (I) up to this time clearly reveals the true nature and intention of India that the people of Assam and Manipur are “Archenemy of India”. Historically we were not India and we were independent kingdoms. India knows the history and is convinced that Assam and Manipur cannot be occupied easily."