Security forces kill rebels in India's northeast
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Guwahati, May 10, IRNA
India-Nagaland
At least five separatists were killed by security forces in two separate encounters in India's restive northeastern state of Assam, officials told IRNA Tuesday.
A police spokesman said army soldiers late Monday shot dead three militants of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in a shootout near village Kathalguri, 510 km east of Assam's main city of Guwahati.
"ULFA rebels challenged an army patrol and in the encounter that followed three militants were killed," a senior police official said.
The soldiers recovered two AK-56 assault rifles, a grenade, and several rounds of ammunition, besides cash from the dead rebels.
In another incident, two ULFA militants were shot dead by army soldiers in western Assam's Nalbari district Monday night and seized two AK-56 rifles and ammunition.
The ULFA is fighting for an Independent Assamese homeland since 1979.
Security forces in the state have killed at least a dozen rebels during the past fortnight and arrested several more in a stepped up offensive against the ULFA.
"There will be immediate and shocking retaliation to the attacks on our cadres by security forces," ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah was quoted as saying by local newspapers.
ULFA rebels in the past four months carried out at least 15 explosions and grenade attacks in Guwahati city alone killing five persons and wounding scores more.
The ULFA in recent months have repeatedly offered to hold talks with New Delhi with the group's chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa sending a formal letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in March seeking a negotiated settlement to their problems.
New Delhi is yet to formally respond to ULFA's peace overtures.
More than 10,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in Assam during the past two decades.
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::IRNA No.020 10/05/2005 11:58 --End
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