Imphal, February 23: Troops of the 24 Assam rifles eliminated six cadres of the proscribed UNLF in an early morning encounter at a Chandel district location today.

According to a release of PRO IGAR (S), troops of the 24 AR of 26 Sector AR carried out a well planned operation in the general area 5 kilometres south west of Thangbung Minou on the intervening night of February 22-23. The shoot-out site is informed to be located about 10 km south of Moreh police station and near Border pillar No 75. Consequently, based on reliable intelligence, a group of UNLF cadres was tracked by the AR troops, detailed the release while informing that the encounter broke out with the fleeing UGs at around 4.30 am resulting in the slaying of six hardcore UNLF cadres.

Further stating bodies of all the slain armed activists have been recovered, the PRO listed one AK-56 with 50 live rounds, two M-16 along with 36 live rounds, one lethod with a lethod fire case, one UBGL with one live round, one 9mm pistol with nine live rounds, a 7.62 mm pistol with eight live rounds and one radio set as the recovered weapons/items from the deceased UGs.

�This incident is surely bound to lower already sagging morale of the UG outfit who are fleeing after they were evicted from Samtal Salient in the recent past,� observed the PRO's statement.

Further confiding that after fleeing from Samtal area UNLF has established camp in Myanmar area and planning operation from across the international boundary against security force posts, it disclosed of the IG plans being intercepted consequently leading to the successfully launched operation.

Assam Rifles is endeavoured to continue the pressure on the UGs in the days ahead, the PRO affirmed.