|
Naga tangle : Rival militant factions clash |
 |
In an incident that may cause a setback to the Naga reconciliation campaign launched by the Naga Hoho, the apex tribal council, since December last year, six NSCN(K) cadres were killed in a clash with rival NSCN(IM) activists at a village near Dimapur on January 19. According to police sources in Kohima, the state capital, six bullet-ridden bodies were found by them and Army personnel after being informed by villagers.
The NSCN(K) had offered a unilateral month-long ceasefire to its rival groups last December. The Naga Hoho had urged the NSCN(K) to extend the ceasefire period and called upon its rival to reciprocate positively.
Describing the incident, as ‘unfortunate’, the Issac-Muivah faction claimed in a statement that over 100 NSCN(K) cadres were intercepted by its activists when they were on their way to attack an NSCN(IM) camp near the village. Six NSCN(K) cadres were killed in the exchange of fire. The NSCN(K), however, described the attack as ‘dastardly’ and said this showed the NSCN(IM) ‘s motive of ‘destroying the Naga social fabric’ and that too during the NSCN(K)-called unilateral ceasefire.
It may be recalled that both NSCN(IM) and NSCN(K) are engaged with Centre over the ceasefire agreement that still holds good though the latest incident, according to observers, is likely to cause a major setback to the peace process.
|
