Six members of the outlawed Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) were killed in an encounter with security forces near the Assam-Nagaland border early on Sunday, officials said.
A large number of arms and ammunition was recovered from the militants after the gunfight with a joint team of the paramilitary Assam Rifles and the State police.
“In an early morning operation by @assampolice and Assam Rifles, six DNLA terrorists were neutralised in Dhansiripar area of Karbi Anglong district,” tweeted State’s Special Director General of Police G.P. Singh.
Counter-insurgency operations in the Dhansiripar area of the district were intensified after suspected DNLA extremists killed one Sanjoy Ronghang of Daojingphang village on May 19. Organisations such as the Dimasa Students’ Union had condemned the killing and sought action.
The DNLA was formed in April 2019 to fight for an independent “Dimasa nation”.
The members of this outfit were reportedly trained by the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland.
“The DNLA’s cadre strength is low after a few setbacks because of intensified operations. But the group has been creating trouble in certain pockets of Karbi Anglong as well as adjoining Dima Hasao district,” an Army officer said on condition of anonymity.
