4 Assam Rifles jawans killed, 6 injured in Nagaland ambush

June 17, 2018 838 Views No Comment

The Assam Rifles personnel were on their way to fetch water from a river when they were attacked by the rebels with grenades and gunfire near Aboi

Source: Hindustan Times | Economic Times | India Today

Four Assam Rifles personnel were killed and 6 others injured when their vehicle was attacked by suspected National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) rebels in Mon district of Nagaland on Sunday afternoon.

Incident site (Whatsup source)

According to reports, the Assam Rifles personnel were on their way to fetch water from a river when they were attacked by the rebels with grenades and gunfire near Aboi, 35 km from the district headquarters.

The attack comes at a time when talks between the Centre and pro-talk Naga rebel groups like NSCK (Isak-Muivah) and others are at an advanced stage to find a final solution to the long-pending Naga insurgency.

The Khaplang faction is NSCN, which had a ceasefire agreement with Centre for 15 years, reneged on it in 2015.

Three years back, 8 Assam Rifles jawans were killed and half a dozen others injured in a similar attack by NSCN (K) in Mon district.

Superintendent of police, Vechipa Vise told ET, “There were reports that there was encounter between Khaplang cadres and Assam Rifles around 2.30 pm on Sunday. Suspected Khaplang faction carried out the attack on Assam Rifles”

Incident site (Whatsup source)

Mon district is the stronghold of Khaplang faction and home turf of Khango Konyak, chairman of the outfit, who took over after the death Shangwang Shangyung Khaplang.

Another news agency reported that the gun fight took place at Aboi town in Tenyak nalla area near BRO camp in Mon District.

Sounds of bomb and guns continued for more than an hour leaving around six jawans seriously injured.

Forces have rushed in more reinforcements of security personnel towards the site. Senior officials of Nagaland Police too have been moved to the location.

Banned outfit group NSCN-K took responsibility of the ambush and claimed in a press release. The outfit however has threatened for more such attacks in the future.

In recent past the NSCN -K faction had claimed the responsibility of attacking senior officials of Security forces in Shengha Lampong area. This is the second such attack in just a month.

Nagaland has recently seen a new government under the leadership of Neiphiu Rio in alliance with BJP.