Three suspected Naga militants killed in gunfight in Assam

Three suspected militants from the National Socialist Council of Nagaland insurgent group were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Assam’s Dima Hasao district on Tuesday, reported NDTV.

The incident took place in an area between N Kubin and Herakilo under the Haflong police station limits after the suspected militants entered the district from neighbouring Nagaland, unidentified police officers told NDTV.

The gunfight broke out while personnel from the Assam Police Special Units and the Assam Rifles were conducting a search operation, unidentified police officers also told The Indian Express.

The operation was launched on Saturday after the National Highways Authority of India in Dima Hasao received an extortion letter, the newspaper reported, citing a police statement. Details were also received about an armed group, allegedly responsible for the letter, hiding in the area, it added.

“This morning [Tuesday], the search parties came across an armed group, after almost 60 hours of the search, in the area between N Kubin-Hera Kilo,” the police said. “The armed miscreants fired on the government forces, who retaliated. There was a heavy exchange of fire.”

A cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the site of the gunfight, according to NDTV.

Several Naga groups, including the Isak-Muivah faction of the NSCN, claim that the Nagas neither agreed to be...

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