Agartala/Ukhrul, Jul 13: A cross-border drone operation involving over 100 unmanned aerial vehicles allegedly targeted ULFA (I) strongholds in Myanmar’s Sagaing Region, resulting in the reported deaths of three senior commanders and injuries to several other insurgents.
The military engagement commenced during the early morning hours of Sunday, with Indian Armed Forces conducting precision targeting operations against several insurgent installations operated by the United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent situated within Myanmar’s territorial boundaries.
The coordinated assault focused on four distinct insurgent facilities, notably the organization’s Eastern Command Headquarters positioned at Hoyat Basti and the strategically significant 779 Camp located at Waktham Basti, both situated within the Naga Self-Administered Zone of Myanmar’s Sagaing Region. Military sources indicate the operation proceeded with direct collaboration from Myanmar’s armed forces.
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Intelligence reports indicate that the insurgent group’s principal military strategist, Lieutenant General Nayan Asom, was eliminated during the initial aerial bombardment. While Indian government officials have not provided formal confirmation of his demise, numerous sources verify that he was killed during the assault on the Eastern Command Headquarters. The unmanned aerial attack reportedly wounded several additional organization members.
Subsequently, the United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent released an official statement acknowledging Lieutenant General Nayan Asom’s death in the primary strike. The organization additionally asserted that a secondary missile bombardment conducted by Indian military aircraft specifically targeted the memorial service for the deceased commander.
The insurgent group’s declaration stated that Brigadier Ganesh Asom and Colonel Pradeep Asom were killed during the subsequent strike that occurred during the funeral proceedings. Multiple individuals, including non-combatants, sustained injuries in the follow-up attack.
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“The occupation forces have exceeded all boundaries of human decency,” the organization declared in an emphatic statement, pledging retribution against what they characterized as the “imperialist regime.” The group further alleged that aerial bombardments persisted in various locations surrounding the targeted installations.
Intelligence sources report that the strikes additionally targeted facilities controlled by the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang, another militant organization operating within the region. Although casualty statistics remain unconfirmed, intelligence assessments indicate significant losses across both organizations.
Notwithstanding the magnitude and reported effectiveness of the operation, Indian defense establishment officials have refrained from issuing any formal declarations. Upon inquiry, the Indian Army’s Public Relations Office declined to provide commentary.
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Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed that state law enforcement agencies were not involved in the operation and noted that the Army had not released official confirmation. He indicated that additional clarification was anticipated later in the day.
It is also worth noting that a prominent Indian journalist Rajeev Bhattacharyya who has extensively written about ULFA has said that “The news about ULFA(I) supremo Paresh Barua doesn’t seem to be true.”