Three senior members killed in Indian strikes: Ulfa; Army denies Op

New Delhi | Guwahati: Precision strikes were carried out on United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) camps in Myanmar, targeting the terrorist outfit's senior leadership sheltering across the border to stay out of the reach of Indian armed forces.

Sources said pinpointed attacks were carried out and loitering munitions and drones were used to take down high-value targets. They added the attacks were carried out from a standoff distance.

In a statement, Ulfa(I) claimed that three of its senior leadership were killed and 19 others injured after the Indian Army launched an operation across the border. However, the Army said that it hasn't carried out any such operation.


Operations on the India-Myanmar border have taken place in the past, with forces at times operating under secrecy. While the Army is deployed extensively in the northeast, anti-terror operations are also carried out by Assam Rifles that is tasked with the Myanmar border as well.

The precision attacks took place early Sunday, with locations across the border in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland targeted with loitering munitions. These precision weapons can be launched from a range of over 100 km, with several Indian manufacturers supplying them to the forces in the past few years. Similar loitering drones were also used during Operation Sindoor.

Ulfa(I), the anti-talk faction, said the attack led to the death of self-styled Lt Gen Nayan Asom. The outfit is led by Paresh Barua, who has remained elusive for years, while Asom was believed to be the second in hierarchy and was tasked with training cadres. He was known as a Barua confidant.

In a statement, Ulfa (I) said, "Indian Army had launched drone attacks between Longwa on Indo-Myanmar border near Nagaland and Pangsau Pass along the international border near Arunachal Pradesh... Attack took place between 2 am and 4 am on Sunday." The outfit claimed that there was another attack later in the day on Sunday.

It also said that mobile camps of the banned outfit have been severely affected as Indian forces dropped about 150 bombs in the area. In a second statement, the Ulfa (I) said another attack was launched as they were cremating Asom's body, leading to death of two other senior cadres, identified as Ganesh Asom and Pradip Asom.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday asserted that the state police was not involved in the drone attack carried out at Ulfa(I) camps.