IMPHAL, July 14: Multiple drone strikes were reportedly launched on Sunday targeting key ULFA (Independent) camps located inside Myanmar, killing at least three top commanders and injuring several others.
Sources said over 100 drones were deployed in the operation that struck two crucial ULFA(I) bases — the ‘Diamond Camp’ near Hoyat village and the outfit’s ‘central mobile headquarters’ in the Waktham area. The drone strikes reportedly took place between 2:00 am and 4:30 am, along the Longwa (Nagaland-Myanmar border) and Pangso Pass (Arunachal Pradesh-Myanmar border) corridor.
ULFA(I) has acknowledged the strikes and confirmed the deaths of self-styled ‘Lt Gen’ Nayan Asom (Nayan Kalita alias Nayan Medhi), ‘Brigadier’ Ganesh Asom, and ‘Colonel’ Pradip Asom. At least 19 other cadres were injured in what is considered the biggest setback for the outfit since Myanmar’s military operation “Operation Sunrise” in 2019. Sources indicated that some camps belonging to the PLA (People’s Liberation Army of Manipur) were also targeted.
The group claimed that 19 of its members were killed and another 19 injured in the attacks.
However, in an official statement, the Indian Army dismissed these claims. “There are no inputs with the Indian Army on such an operation,” said Lt Col Mahendra Rawat, PRO Defence, Guwahati
The ULFA(I) has since released three statements to the media. The first claimed that Israeli and French-made drones were used between 2:00 am and 4:30 am, launched from Longwa (Nagaland-Myanmar border) and Pangso Pass (Arunachal Pradesh-Myanmar border). The second attack reportedly occurred during the funeral of Nayan Asom and resulted in the deaths of Ganesh and Pradip Asom. The outfit also claimed that civilians were injured and that camps of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of Manipur were also struck.
Despite the losses, ULFA(I) has vowed retaliation, stating that it remains committed to its objectives. It condemned the strikes as “cowardly” and lashed out at the media, accusing some outlets of reporting based on “transcripts provided by the occupying forces of the colonial Indian state.” The group called such reporting “a grave disservice to the journalistic integrity of Assam,” suggesting that media narratives were being shaped by business interests rather than factual reporting.
The Hoyat camp, one of the targets, lies close to the NSCN(K)-Angmai camp and a newly established base of NSCN-IM known as the ‘Veda Peace Mission Command.’ It is unclear if these camps were affected in the operation. Besides the two targeted camps, ULFA(I) reportedly maintains the ‘Arakan Camp’ co-located with Yung Aung’s Lenghon camp in Nanyun township and another at Hakhi near Pangsau Pass — camps jointly operated with the PLA and UNLF/Koireng.
The ULFA(I)’s current cadre strength is estimated to be between 250 and 400. Sources say that the worsening law and order situation in Myanmar has allowed the outfit to regroup and revive its activities in recent months.
