Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 14:
Debunking the charge of UNLF, Assam Rifles has asserted that 26 innocent civilians have either lost their lives or have suffered due to IEDs and atrocities of UNLF in Samtal region in the past few months.
In a statement, PRO Assam Rifles claimed that a memorandum was submitted by the Tribal Chiefs' Association of Chandel to the Chief Minister wherein the menace created by the presence of UNLF and IEDs laid by them was highlighted.
Giving a detailed account of the operations launched by HQ 26 Sector AR under the aegis of HQ IGAR (S), the statement recalled that on December 7, SF troops advanced along the Khenjoi ridge-line and an encounter took place with UNLF in the area of Sehao village.
Two UNLF cadres were killed in that encounter and their bodies were buried close to Khenjoi in unmarked graves.
The proscribed cadres fled the area unable to withstand the pressure of SF troops.
On December 8, Sehao village was cleared of UG presence and during the clearance 9 IEDs were recovered.
On December 9 and 10, Semol village was also cleared without any resistance and during the search, 7 IEDs were recovered and destroyed in situ.
On December 11 and 12, UNLF cadres attempted to put some resistance in the area of Bailon village, but were forced into a hasty retreat, the PRO said, adding that clearance of the village led to recovery of 23 IEDs which were also destroyed in situ.
The statement of the PRO Assam Rifles went on to inform that on Dec 13, security forces found Khenjoi village vacated with the houses and the surrounding areas extensively mined and booby-trapped.
Villagers of Khenjoi had been forcibly moved out of their houses and taken to Molcham.
The SF is presently in the process of recovering and destroying the IEDs laid, claimed the PRO.
As on date more than 20 IEDs have already been recovered from Khenjoi village and large number is till yet to be located, the PRO said and charged the UNLF cadres with blowing up the lone water tank and damaging water pipe line of Khenjoi.
With the morale of their cadres badly flagging, UNLF leaders have been levying false claims of success against the security forces, which have been denied more than once, the PRO said, adding that calling upon NGOs and international groups to intervene is only a face saving attempt to cover up their misdeeds and put a check on SF operations.