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Rebels kill 13 in North India
11/08/2007 09:35 - (SA)
Guwahati - Thirteen people were
killed and 15 wounded in attacks by rebels in India's Assam
state days before the country celebrates its 60th independence
anniversary, police said on Saturday.
Heavily-armed militants of the United Liberation Front of
Asom (Ulfa) raided two houses of businessmen on Friday night in
the state's remote Dolamora area, dragged their families out
and shot 12 people on the spot.
Those killed were non-Assamese, whom the Ulfa accuses of
plundering the state's resources and spoiling its culture. The
rebel group has been fighting for an independent homeland for
Assam's ethnic people since 1979.
In other attacks, militants triggered two bomb explosions
in crowded places in Karbi Anglong district, killing a
two-year-old boy and wounding 15 others, including some
non-Assamese.
Step up activities
"The Ulfa along with couple of smaller tribal armed groups
are involved in these attacks," a senior police officer said.
"The group wants to show its presence before independence day."
Earlier this week, the rebels shot dead eight non-Assamese
people, including two children and three women, on Wednesday in
the same area and in a similar strike.
The rebels often step up their activities ahead of
independence day on August 15, which marks the end of British
colonial rule in India in 1947.
This year they have called a six-hour general strike in the
state on the day and asked people to boycott the celebrations.
More than 20 000 people have been killed in the Ulfa
insurgency.
- Reuters
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