Imphal, April 15 2009: Atleast one jawan of 12 Assam Rifles was reportedly killed while six others including a JCO sustained injuries in attacks launched by the MPA, armed wing of the proscribed UNLF.

The proscribed outfit, however, put the figure of casualty as over 14 deaths and over 10 injured.

When The Sangai Express contacted the PRO of Assam Rifles, he said that one jawan was killed while six were injured.

The injured jawans have been evacuated to the Army hospital, he added.

The PRO however could not give details of the slain jawan such as his identity as official report was still awaited.

According to police report, suspected armed cadres of MPA equipped with sophisticated weapons launched the attack on troops of 12 Assam Rifles after lying in wait along the road connecting Leishang and Kongkan villages located along Indo-Myanmar border under Kamjong sub-division of Ukhrul district at around 7.45 am yesterday.

Not far from the site of the attack, the MPA cadres also attacked another AR troop in the afternoon leading to exchange of heavy firing from both sides.

Along with their Commanding Officer (CO), the AR troop was coming in four Gypsy vehicles when they came under heavy firing.

The slain as well as the injured AR jawans were travelling in the foremost vehicle which bore the main brunt of the attack.

Though the CO was travelling in the next Gypsy he did not suffer any injuries as it was driving a little far off.

As the attack began, the AR troops released a volley of fire and hurled bombs towards the cliff.

But signs of the attackers launching the attack while hiding inside the road side drain were only confirmed later.

The slain AR jawan has been identified as Nokzar Ao (26) s/o Imtilven of Mangmetong village in Mokokchung district of Nagaland.

The body has been sent to his native place today after post-mortem at the mortuary of RIMS while the injured including he JCO have been taken to an Army hospital at Kolkata for treatment.

Whether there was any human casualty or not in the second attack and subsequent gun battle could not be confirmed.

However, the proscribed outfit UNLF has claimed that more than 14 AR personnel have been killed while inflicting injuries to over 10 of them in the two attacks launched by a special fighting team of the MPA belonging to 241 battalion.

According to a statement issued by UNLF's senior publicity officer Ksh Yoiheiba, the first attack took place at around 8 am at a spot in between Kamjong and Kongkan.

Three vehicles of an AR convey came directly under the target of the attack and it was possible that most for the personnel in the three vehicles may have been killed or suffered grievous injuries, Yoiheiba said.

Surprise by the sudden attack, AR personnel travelling in the vehicles behind opened indiscriminate firing and triggered bombs toward the jungle.

But there is no report of any injuries on the side of the MPA cadres.

After this incident of attack, intermittent exchange of firing were also broke out at different places till 11 am with reinforcement of the AR troops who were coming along with two helicopter gunships to evacuate the injured.

Sensing that additional forces may be called in from the post of the AR at Nambisa which is located not far from the site of the first attack, another fighting team of the 241 Battalion of MPA had been made to hide in between Nambisa and Phaikok to prevent the AR troop from advancing.

At around 12.30 pm, the MPA cadres attacked the AR troop coming along that side killing four AR personnel and causing injuries to several others, Yoiheiba claimed.

The MPA cadres who are part of the special fighting team in launching these attacks are yet to retract and to continue with the attack more additional forces have been despatched, Yoiheiba added.

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