Assam: ULFA (I) provides evidence of drone attack carried out in its Myanmar camp on January 7

On January 8, the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) reported that its Salman camp in Myanmar was targeted by a drone attack the previous Sunday. 

The militant group, which is also known as anti-talk ULFA, claimed that three bombs were dropped on their camp via drones. The first bomb was released at 4:10 pm, followed by the second a few minutes later, and the third at 4:20 pm. 

Out of the three, two bombs detonated while the third failed to explode. This incident resulted in injuries to two members of ULFA-I, who sustained minor injuries.

The organization has attributed the attack to Indian security forces, although no specific evidence was provided to substantiate this claim. 

On January 10, the banned outfit supporting their statement of the alleged attack also sent visuals of the drones used in the attack.

Also Read: Assam : DGP GP Singh issues warning amid rising tensions in insurgent camps

However, the Indian Army has not issued any statement regarding the incident, and an army officer based in Guwahati mentioned that since the event occurred in another country.

This development comes shortly after a pro-talks faction of ULFA signed a tripartite agreement with the Central and Assam governments aimed at ending one of the most violent insurgencies in Northeast India. However, the Paresh Baruah-led ULFA-I faction has several camps in Myanmar and has consistently opposed talks unless the issue of Assam's sovereignty is included in the discussions.

The drone attack claim by ULFA-I highlights ongoing tensions and conflicts in the region, including the broader unrest in Myanmar following the military coup in February 2021, which has led to thousands of refugees seeking shelter in neighbouring Indian states such as Mizoram and Manipur.

The Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, has expressed his intention to continue reaching out to Paresh Baruah for dialogue, despite not expecting immediate talks with the ULFA-I faction.