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Ultras kill 2 SSB men in Assam

April 04, 2011 18:18 IST

At least two Sashastra Seema Bal jawans were killed and three others injured after they were ambushed by suspected terrorists belonging to the anti-talks faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland. The ambush happened at the thickly-forested Singhikhola-Laubheta area along the to Indo-Bhutan border in western Assam's Kokrajhar district at around 11 am on Monday. 

Police informed that a patrol party of the SSB personnel deployed to guard the international border was waylaid by the attackers. In the ensuing gun battle, two SSB jawans were killed and three others injured. Additional forces have rushed to the spot and combing operations was launched to nab the terrorists.

He anti-talks faction of the NDFB militants has set up mobile bases inside thick forest areas along the India-Bhutan border in Kokrajhar and Udalguri districts of North Assam. The ultras have been carrying out hit and run operations and abductions in the area. The SSB personnel are deployed along the border with Bhutan to prevent cross border movements of the terrorists. 

The United Liberated Front of Asom and the NDFB had set up strong bases inside Himalayan kingdom in late 1990s.However, their bases were rooted out by the Royal Bhutan Army in an all out offensive carried out in December 2003. The 'Operation: All clear' by the Bhutanese Army forced the ULFAs, NDFB and several other insurgent groups to set up fresh bases in neighbouring Bangladesh.

K Anurag Guwahati