Guwahati (Assam), July 13: Indian security forces have reportedly carried out a series of precision drone strikes targeting insurgent camps belonging to the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), and several Manipur-based militant groups along the India-Myanmar border.
The operation, conducted in the early hours of Sunday, is believed to have resulted in the elimination of several top ULFA-I leaders, including Lieutenant General Nayan Asom, a senior commander in the outfit’s military wing.
According to sources, over 100 drones were deployed in the coordinated offensive, which targeted key camps and command centers of these militant groups inside Myanmar’s Sagaing Region. The strikes are understood to have caused significant damage to the militant groups’ infrastructure and resulted in an undetermined number of casualties.
The NSCN’s camps, particularly those linked to the NSCN-Khaplang faction, were among the targets of the drone strikes. Additionally, camps belonging to Manipur-based militant groups, including the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), are believed to have been hit in the operation.
The Indian Army’s Eastern Command is believed to have planned and executed the operation, leveraging advanced surveillance and intelligence capabilities to identify and neutralize high-value targets. While the Indian Army has denied involvement in the operation, citing lack of information, security experts view the strikes as a significant escalation in India’s counter-insurgency strategy aimed at dismantling safe havens of Northeast militant groups operating from across the border.
The operation is seen as a major breakthrough in India’s efforts to curb militancy in the Northeast region and is likely to have a significant impact on the dynamics of insurgency in the region. The ULFA-I, a banned outfit, has been waging a separatist struggle in Assam for decades, and the group’s ability to operate from safe havens in Myanmar has been a major challenge for Indian security forces.
