Army base attacked in Assam's Tinsukia, three soldiers injured

Guwahati: Three soldiers were injured in an attack on an Army base in Kakopathat in eastern Assam's Tinsukia district shortly after midnight. Proscribed militant outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Army said 'unidentified terrorists' opened fire on Kakopathar Company from a moving vehicle.

A Defence spokesperson said at around midnight on 17 October unidentified terrorists fired on Kakopathar Company location from a moving vehicle. The troops on duty responded immediately and effectively taking due caution to avoid collateral damage to civilian houses in the close vicinity. Immediate and effective retaliation by the Indian Army forced the terrorists to flee the site after carrying out speculative firing using automatic weapons.


The spokesperson added, “No major injuries were sustained other than minor abrasions to three personnel. The area has been sanitized and joint searches in coordination with police are being carried out”.

United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) also known as the anti-talk faction of ULFA in a statement, claimed responsibility for the attack as part of its "operation vengeance". The attack was conducted on security personnel close to the interstate boundary between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

ULFA(I), in the statement, claimed that it was carried out by the 'military wing' of the insurgent outfit. It said that 'Operation vengeance' is its clear message to the Indian armed forces that "no amount of force using the latest technology can dissuade the outfit from pursuing its aim".

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “ULFA attacked a battalion of the Indian Army with a grenade, four army jawans had minor injuries and are on duty now after treatment. In recent times there were such incidents in some places in Nagaland and as we suspect this is the co-ordinated move by ULFA and Myanmar based other militant outfits. This move is for some time now, we are keeping a watch on these developments, Centre is also keeping watch.”

He added, “ I once again appeal to ULFA to abjure violence for killing and violence cannot solve any problem, we can solve all the problems in Assam through dialogue and discussion.”