Posted on 10/05/2007 1:40:43 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
GUWAHATI, Oct 4 – The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) is still using the territory of Bhutan to impart basic training to the new cadres recruited in the lower Assam districts, while, the new recruits of upper Assam are mostly being trained in the camps of Myanmar. Highly placed police sources said that though the major bases of the ULFA in Bhutan were uprooted in the operation by the Bhutan Army in December, 2003, the outfit has started using the territory of Bhutan once again for training. Sources, however, said that the ULFA is yet to establish permanent camps in Bhutan after the setback that it received in 2003 and only makeshift camps are being established from time to time in the jungle areas to train up cadres.
Police said that new recruits are taken to the makeshift camps in small batches of 15 or 20 members, where they are given basic training on handling of grenades and small arms. Sources said that the ULFA men arrested in recent times in lower Assam districts were not properly trained and their interrogation reports revealed the fact that they were given training inside the territory of Bhutan. The new recruits are only given training for a week or ten days before they are formally inducted into the outfit, sources said. Though SSB personnel have been posted along the Assam-Bhutan border to prevent movement of militants, the terrain along most parts of the border makes it easy for the militants to sneak in and out of Bhutan in small groups.
It may be mentioned here that all the camps of the ULFA in Bhutan including its general headquarters were smashed in the operations in 2003, which was a major setback for the outfit.
Meanwhile, the arrest of the acting commander of the 28 battalion of the ULFA, Prabal Neog in Tezpur unearthed vital information about the Myanmar bases of the outfit. Police said that the headquarter of the 28 battalion, the strongest arm of the outfit, is still in Myanmar, while, the headquarter of the B company of the 28 battalion is also based in the neighbouring country.
Sources said that the majority of the new recruits from the upper Assam districts are taken to Myanmar for training and the ULFA now has around 200 cadres in Myanmar. The camps in that country are maintained along with the NSCN (K). The ULFA also has a council camp in Myanmar, which is headed by senior ULFA leader Jibon Moran, who is responsible for maintaining communication with the leaders of the NSCN (K).
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