(Photo source: Assam Rifles)
Imphal, September 6 (IANS) At least two militants of the United Kuki National Army (UKNA) were killed and two others injured in a gun battle with security forces during an intelligence-based operation in Manipur’s Churachandpur district, officials said on Sunday.
An official said that the Indian Army and the Assam Rifles launched a joint operation based on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants at Phaibong village under the Henglep sub-division in the mountainous Churachandpur district. Forces established surveillance over a UKNA camp and commenced tactical closing when UKNA cadres opened indiscriminate fire and the troops quickly retaliated with controlled fire.
“Two UKNA cadres neutralised and two injured in the firing,” the official said. Search of the camp yielded two foreign made MA Rifles (5.56 mm), one AK-56 Rifle (7.62 mm), one Lathode Gun (40 mm), seven Lathod Grenades, 15 AK magazines, 371 AK-56 rounds, 601 MA Rifle rounds, 172 SLR rounds, 15 combat uniforms, 7 ammunition pouches, 5 backpacks, 3 combat bags and 5 pairs of jungle shoes.
Meanwhile, the combing operations are underway in surrounding jungles. In separate operations, acting on specific intelligence, formations under the Spear Corps, in close coordination with Manipur Police, recovered three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) weighing approximately 20 kg from jungle area between Leishabithol and Ahamadabad in Jiribam, along southern Assam. The explosive devices were safely neutralised on the spot through a controlled demolition, successfully averting a major threat to life and property.
The joint operation reflects the unwavering vigilance, operational readiness, and seamless inter-agency synergy of security forces dedicated to safeguarding peace in the region, a defence spokesman said.
A Hmar tribal militant outfit, the UKNA group is not a signatory to the Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact signed between the Central and Manipur government and several Kuki and Zomi armed outfits.
A total of 23 underground outfits under two conglomerates – 8 under United People’s Front (UPF) and 15 under Kuki National Organisation (KNO) -- are currently under Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the Government of India since August, 2008. Meanwhile, the security forces in Manipur have recently arrested the self-styled chief of the banned UKNA militant outfit from Churachandpur district and recovered a cache of arms, ammunition and explosives based on his interrogation.
A senior police official had said the self-styled chief of the outlawed UKNA, identified as R.C. Singson, was arrested from Old Gelmol village in Churachandpur district, which shares an inter-state border with Mizoram and an unfenced international border with Myanmar.
Acting on information provided by the arrested militant leader during interrogation, security forces launched a search operation in the forested areas of Thingchawm village in the same district. They recovered a sizeable cache of arms, ammunition and communication equipment.
The seized weapons include one AK-47 rifle with a magazine, one 9 mm pistol with a magazine, three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and two Baofeng radio communication sets.
