Myanmar assures India of wiping out ULFA bases

Kohima, Apr 28: The Myanmar Government has assured its Indian counterpart that the bases of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) will be liquidated from the Myanmar territory.

According to official sources here today the assurances came from the 21-member high-level delegation of the Myanmar Army during their visit to the Headquarters of 3 Crops in Rangapahar on April 19 and 20 last where they discussed with the Indian Army on the matters of mutual interest.

The Army delegation from Yangoon had raised the issue of a large number of ULFA militants had established several full fledged camps inside Myanmar and had converted into safe shelter and launching pad to launch operation on civil and military assets in Upper Asom.

The Myanmar's Army delegation also told their Indian counterparts that no such camps of militant groups like ULFA, operating against India would be allowed inside its territory. The visiting delegation also sought specific intelligence reports, but also strongly indicated that its future course of military campaign to flush out armed militants from its territory would also involve precise operations against bases of the ULFA.

Though there is no precise intelligence report of the number of ULFA militants in Myanmar, sources said the cadre strength was believed to be in several hundreds and fluctuated periodically because of reentering into Indian soil and infiltration into Myanmar for operational purposes.

Sources said some of the camps even have women cadres of ULFA and wives and children. The Union Government is concerned that the infamous ISI could use its link with top ULFA leadership based in Dacca in Bangladesh to spread trouble in those belts, sources added.

UNI