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February 23, 2007 12:19 IST
Reeling under intensive counter-insurgency operation by the Indian Army in Upper Assam areas, the banned United Liberation Front of Assam has alleged 'attacks by Indian Army and Indian Air Force' on villagers in Tinsukia district areas bordering Arunachal Pradesh in the name of operation against the insurgents.
In a statement issued to the media through the Internet, ULFA commander in chief Paresh Barua stated, "Indian occupational forces launched attacks on innocent people in Tinsukia and Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border areas in the name of operation against the ULFA."
The ULFA leader alleged that air raids were being conducted in the area much to the misery of innocent civilian population. The ULFA leader called upon the global community to condemn such 'barbaric attacks by Indian forces' on innocent people even as security sources denied committing any excesses on innocent civilian population while operating against ULFA militants.
A highly-placed source in Tinsukia district administration said there was no confirmation about air raids being conducted in the name of operation against the ULFA. The ULFA leader further claimed, "Though the forces described such attacks as mock drills, the ULFA managed to intercept messages, which indicated that air raids were being launched against the ULFA."
A security source said it was part of ULFA's strategy to mount pressure on the Army, which has put ULFA strongholds in Tinsukia district and areas adjoining the Arunachal Pradesh border under strict surveillance.
The Army is in no mood to relax the pressure on the ULFA, as the intensified operations launched against the militants last month in the wake of the latter resorting to large-scale killing of Hindi-speaking people in the state have started paying dividends.
Lt Gen A S Jamwal, GOC of the Army's Eastern Command, who was in the state earlier this week, had reportedly asked his officers and soldiers engaged in counter-insurgency operation along the Assam-Arunachal border in eastern Assam not to allow militants any breathing space.
The Army has virtually laid siege to ULFA stronghold inside jungles at Namsai in Arunachal Pradesh just across the border with Assam's Tinsukia district. The ULFA militants have been using its base in Arunachal Pradesh to carry out hit and run operations in Upper Assam.
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