Underground factions vacate Phek town

Kohima, May 18 (UNI) The underground NSCN-IM and NSCN (K) factions along with the 'Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN)' have vacated the Phek town area yesterday, according to official sources today.

Earlier, the factions were threatening an armed showdown in the town, official sources said.

The NSCN-IM cadres, who had occupied some of the areas of Phek town recently, were getting ready for a confrontation against the existing joint cadres of the NSCN (K) and FGN.

However, following continuos appeal of the residents, the cadres decided to vacate the area fearing that the impending factional clashes would endanger the lives and property of the innocent citizens.

The state government had also given the cadres a deadline to vacate the area by Thursday and deployed the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) and Assam Rifles (AR) since Tuesday.

However, yesterday morning the NSCN (K) cadres resorted to blank firing from below the NST Station in town to which the NSCN-IM too responded by firing some rounds, but no casualty was reported.

Sources said heavy deployment of the IRB and AR personnel in Phek town had diffused the tension and thwarted the imminent showdown between the underground factions.

UNI