2 confirmed dead, 4 seriously wounded
Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 17
Two Assam Rifles soldiers were confirmed dead and four others seriously wounded in an ambush in Mon district on Sunday, June 17. According to the Mon police, a two-vehicle convoy of the 40 AR came under attack on the outskirts of Aboi town. They were reportedly making their way back to base after a routine patrol when they came under a barrage of gunfire around 3:00 pm near Tenyak bridge. The exchange of gunfire lasted around half an hour.
The attackers lobbed grenades, few of which were found unexploded, the police added.
The Assam Rifles informed that the ambush occurred 3km south of Aboi town. The vehicle convoy, comprising 6 personnel, were returning after a foot patrol when they were ambushed midway, the AR said.
The two killed were identified as Hav. Fateh Singh Negi and Sepoy Hungnga Konyak. The condition of the wounded could not be ascertained but they were said to have been airlifted to Rangapahar, Dimapur.
While stating that the organisation behind the attack was yet to be confirmed, the AR added that combing operation was on.
NSCN (K) says it carried out the attack
The NSCN (K) claimed responsibility for the attack. Col. (Rtd) Isak Sumi, Deputy Kilonser, MIP, issued a press release stating that the attack was carried out by NSCN (K) cadres. Describing it as one of “a series of on-going ‘Summer Offensives’ to sanitise the land against the illegal deployment of occupational Indian forces,” the release said, “The Naga Army attacked the armed patrol of Indian Security Forces near Aboi town in the afternoon today.” It claimed that 6 AR soldiers were slain and many left wounded.
It further claimed that its cadres were behind the attack on the AR post at Lampong Sheanghah village on June 5.
The release stated that two AR soldiers were killed and two others wounded in the attack. “The attack was precise and discriminate targeting only the Indian Forces exclusively and the local village guards residing nearby were not harmed albeit alleged by some anti-national elements,” the release stated.
