Two security men, two militants killed in Assam ambush

Tinsukia (Assam), Jan 22 (IANS) Two soldiers of the Assam Rifles were killed and two others injured on Sunday when militants ambushed a convoy near Jairampur on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, police said.

The security forces, however, launched a counter-insurgency operation immediately in the area and killed two of the militants involved in the ambush.

The attackers belonged to the United Liberation Front of West Eastern South East Asia (UNLFW), a joint platform of most of the northeastern militant outfits, including the anti-talk faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), National Socialist Council of Nagaland led by Khaplang (NSCN-K) and Coordination Committee (CorCom) of Manipur.

Assam Director General of Police (DGP) Mukesh Sahay said security forces had launched a counter-insurgency operation against the militants.

"Two of the militants involved in the ambush were neutralised later. The forces also recovered two weapons from their possession," said the DGP.

Tinsukia Superintendent of Police Mugdhajyoti Mahanta said 15 to 20 militants caried out the ambush.

Unofficial sources said the militants fled with some arms and ammunition of the Assam Rifles personnel after the attack.

The ULFA and NSCN-K had ambushed an army convoy in Tinsukia district in November last year and killed three soldiers.

Following the incident, the security forces had restricted the movement of vehicles on Jagun-Jairampur Road and intensified mobile check-posts. The Inter-state border between the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border and Assam-Nagaland border has also been put under intensified vigil.

Meanwhile, a joint statement by the CorCom and the ULFA faction claimed responsibility for the attack and that they undertook a joint attack on the security forces, code-named "Operation BARAK".

"A joint team attacked the 13 Assam Rifles at Warabasti area on Jagun-Jairampur Road and killed three soldiers and injured two or more and were able to recover three weapons, including two AK Rifles and one INSAS Rifle," said the statement signed by ULFA faction commander-in-chief Paresh Asom.