Militants ambush army team in Manipur, five commandos wounded

Imphal: Five Special Forces personnel of the Indian Army were on Saturday injured in an ambush by militants in Chandel district of Manipur.

Army sources said an IED blast was triggered during a combing operation by the commandos. This was followed by firing from light arms by the militants.

The United National Liberation Front of Western South East Asia (UNLFW), an umbrella grouping of the anti-talk factions of Assam’s United Liberation Front of Asom and the National Democratic Front of Boroland, the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang, the Kamatapur Liberation Organisation and Coordination Committee of several militant outfits of Manipur, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

They said that even though five of the team were injured, the commandos fought back and managed to rescue those injured.

The sources said the incident happened in Sajik Tampak in Chandel district, which is close to the Myanmar border.

Chandel has witnessed many deadly attacks on security forces in the recent past.

Eighteen soldiers were killed in the district on 5 June 2015 in an ambush.

On 23 May this year, six personnel of the Assam Rifles were killed in an ambush in Chandel.

The injured personnel were flown to the Army hospital at Leimakhong in Sadar Hills in a helicopter.

The condition of two of them was stated to be serious.

A statement issued by the ULFA’s anti-talk faction claimed responsibility. “A group of Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) attacked the 21 Para Regiment of Indian Army between Aisi and Khunmulen near Sajik Tampak in Chandel District on Saturday morning. Five or more Indian soldiers are seriously injured,” it said.

With input from PTI