GUWAHATI, March 8 ? The three militant groups of the North-East United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) and the Manipur People?s Front (MPF) of late have consolidated their bases along the Indo-Myanmar border, highly-placed official sources disclosed. The sources further said that the militant outfits in association with the Kachin Independent Army (KIA) have set up camps in the eastern part of Myanmar forcing the security forces to review their operations. According to reports, the ULFA and the NDFB have set up transit camps in Chanlang and Siang areas of the Assam-Arunachal border in a bid to sneak into the Myanmar territory, sources added.
On strengthening the bases of the ULFA, NDFB and the MPF, they expressed the view that the leadership of the militant groups reportedly constituted a platform in order to intensify their armed struggle. Giving more information about the new platform, sources revealed that the National Socialist Council of Nagland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) has been mobilising several militant groups of the North East to launch a joint armed movement. In this context, sources, however said that the Junta has been extending help to the militant groups of the region. The UNLF militants who were arrested by the Myanmarese Army from Kalameyo and Tamu areas of the country, are yet to be handed over to the Indian Government despite repeated pleas, sources added.
On spurt in activities in eastern Myanmar, sources informed that the area is entirely dominated by the NSCN-K and the KIA, but of late the ULFA and the NDFB reportedly set up four camps. The area is also well connected with Laos for which the militant outfits have strengthened their bases, they added. Asked about the rationale behind the increasing militancy along the Indo-Myanmar border, sources observed that the Indo-Myanmar border is porous and taking advantage of porous border, militants are sneaking into Myanmar. They however said that the security forces deployed in the counter-insurgency have seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition during the last couple of months. It may be mentioned here that during the last six months over 30 ULFA cadres were killed along the Indo-Myanmar border in different encounters with the security forces. They also informed that the security forces have geared up operation along the Assam-Arunachal and Indo-Myanmar borders to contain the activities of the insurgent groups.
Meanwhile, the security forces sources informed that apart from ULFA and the NDFB, Arunachal Dragon Force, a militant outfit of Arunachal Pradesh has joined hands with the NSCN-K and as a result of which security agencies are keeping a close watch on the border. ?The Dragon force was constituted a few years back with active support of the NSCN(K) and it has intensified operation along the border,? the sources added. They further revealed that the Dragon force is getting support from the ULFA, NDFB and the NSCN(K) to launch an armed struggle. The militant groups have been extending support to the Dragon force to set up a base in Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh has of late witnessed militant activities in the bordering areas.