Guwahati, July 13: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today clarified that the state government has yet to receive any official confirmation regarding a reported drone strike on a camp of the proscribed United Liberation Front of Asom–Independent (ULFA-I). The Chief Minister’s remarks came amidst swirling speculation following a statement from the banned outfit alleging a deadly attack on its cadres.
Addressing the media, Sarma categorically stated that the Assam Police had no involvement in the alleged offensive. “Assam Police is not involved in this incident. There has been no strike from the soil of Assam,” he emphasised, dismissing any notion of state-led military action. He further added that if such an operation had indeed occurred, the Indian Army would be the appropriate authority to issue a statement. “We need more clarity on the matter. If such an operation has taken place, the Indian Army will issue its own statement. As of now, there is no official communication from the defence establishment.” The Chief Minister informed reporters that the state is closely monitoring the situation and anticipates more concrete information by the evening through official channels.
Earlier in the day, ULFA(I) had issued a strong condemnation, claiming its camp was hit during the funeral rites of its leader, Lt. Gen. Nayan Asom. The banned outfit accused Indian security forces of carrying out a “barbaric” missile attack, which it asserted led to the demise of key commanders, including Brigadier Ganesh Asom and Colonel Pradip Asom. ULFA(I) has threatened retaliation for the alleged incident. However, at the time of this report, neither the Ministry of Defence nor the Indian Army has officially responded to or confirmed the claims made by the militant group.