Guwahati: The growing indulgence of Coordination Committee (CorCom) of seven militant outfits of Manipur with Ulfa (I) in Assam has alarmed the security forces, which on Tuesday stressed the need for effective action to bust the base of Northeast insurgents in Myanmar.
Pointing out that two militants killed in Sunday’s ambush in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia district were Manipuri, security sources told this newspaper that it was for the first time that Manipuri militants were found to have been involved in operations with Ulfa (I) in Assam. Admitting that growing alliance of insurgent groups in Myanmar has been the major area of concern, security sources said that possibility of some external forces working behind the scene can’t be ruled out.
Referring to the route used by militants holed up in Myanmar, security sources said that it was not practically possible to sanitise entire hilly terrain of Tirap and Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh where militants are having a free run. “We may close some of the corridors between Myanmar and Arunachal Pradesh but not all,” security sources said, while stressing the need of Bhutan-like operations in Myanmar.
Security sources, however, regretted that Myanmar was reluctant and ignorant to the growing insurgent base in its territory. Though, in course of bilateral discussion, Myanmar keeps on reaffirming its opposition to the insurgent activities in its frontier region, security sources said, adding that Myanmar is the last resort for the Northeast insurgent groups.
Pointing out that despite their repeated attempts Northeast militants have failed to re-enter Bhutan and Bangladesh, security sources said that role of some Chinese agencies is also suspected in polarising the Northeast insurgents. Meanwhile, some heavily armed militants on Tuesday ambushed a convoy of trucks and oil tankers along a National Highway that connects Assam with Manipur. There were no casualties despite fierce exchange of fire between the security forces and the armed rebels near Khongkhang.
Police said that a convoy of about 300 trucks and oil tankers were proceeding from Jiribam under armed escort of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Seema Suraksha Bal personnel when some armed militants opened fire on it on National Highways 37. The militants punctured one of the oil tankers but the drivers succeeded in plugging the holes, security sources said.
