Separatist militants from northeastern India reported that the Indian army conducted cross-border drone strikes on their camps located in neighboring Myanmar, leading to the deaths of three prominent leaders. The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), which seeks independence for Assam, confirmed that a top commander was killed, along with 19 others who sustained injuries in the drone attack near the border.
In a series of statements, the ULFA claimed that the strikes resulted in the deaths of two additional senior commanders and reported that several other members, as well as civilians, were wounded in the offensive. The ULFA also indicated that facilities associated with another insurgent group, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), were targeted during these operations. The PLA advocates for the secession of Manipur state.
Rebel groups based in northeastern India have historical ties to ethnic, linguistic, and cultural minorities across the border in Myanmar, often maintaining their camps there. Although a faction of the ULFA laid down arms and signed a peace agreement with the Indian government earlier this year, violence in the region remains a critical issue. While attacks have significantly decreased in recent years, the legacy of insurgent violence has resulted in thousands of deaths, primarily among civilians, over the past three decades.
As of now, Indian authorities have not confirmed the reported drone strikes or the associated casualties, stirring speculation and concern about the escalating tensions in the region.
