Imphal, December 29: Acknowledging the supreme sacrifice of three of its cadres who were killed in a shoot out with 7 AR personnel at Ningthoukhong Paatol in the wee hours of December 27, the proscribed UNLF today said that the three slain cadres put up a brave fight but they were severely handicapped in fighting back as the security personnel used human shields in the encounter.

The three slain cadres are Sgt Athokpam Korounganba alias Arunkumar of Wangkhei Ningthem Pukhri, Pvt Yumnam Nongju alias Premjit of Wabagai Leirak Achouba and Pvt Maibam Langnaiba alias Budha alias Tete of Moirang Paatlou Leikai.

In a statement, the outfit said that the three cadres had taken shelter for the night after an assignment in a hut on the Loktak lake as it was late.

Though greatly outnumbered, the cadres showed great guts and determination in fighting back against all odds, said the statement and added that despite the human shield used by the security personnel, they managed to pick up their targets and inflict heavy casualties on the SF.

The use of human shields, using humans as mine sweepers, eliminating entire family members in the name of CI Ops, burning down houses and their granaries etc are all part of the bigger agenda of the Indian security force to launch an ethnic extermination policy to eliminate the indigenous people of the land, charged UNLF.

In the operation, the SF also killed a fisherman, H Binodkumar who they brought along to act as a human shield, charged the outfit.

The Indian Government has also been laying landmines and passing on the blame on the armed outfits, said UNLF and added that such false propaganda will never be able to convince the international community.

The only way to defeat the agenda of the Indian security force is for the people to take a united stand and fight for liberation of the land and the people, exhorted UNLF.

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