ULFA(I) cadres fired from a vehicle and lobbed grenades at Kakopathar Army base, injuring three with minor abrasions; troops retaliated effectively.
Retaliation for July Myanmar drone strike killing three militants; outfit dubs it "Operation Vengeance" amid sovereignty standoff.
CM urges talks sans violence; second border attack in 24 hours sparks joint ops, highlighting Myanmar-linked insurgent resurgence
Three Indian Army soldiers suffered minor injuries when suspected ULFA(Independent) militants launched a brazen gunfire and grenade assault on a Company Operating Base in Assam's Tinsukia district late on October 16, 2025. The attack, the second on security forces in under 24 hours, prompted swift retaliation and a massive manhunt along the Assam-Arunachal border.
The assault occurred at the Kakopathar camp in Koomsang, where attackers fired from a moving vehicle and hurled grenades, leading to a 30-minute firefight. The injured personnel, with abrasions and no major wounds, are stable and under treatment. ULFA(I), led by Paresh Baruah from the China-Myanmar border, claimed responsibility as "Operation Vengeance," likely retaliating for a July drone strike in Myanmar that killed three of its members.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma condemned the strike, suspecting coordination with Myanmar-based groups like NSCN(K-YA), and reiterated calls for ULFA(I) to abandon violence for talks—excluding sovereignty demands. Joint operations by the Army, Assam Police, and paramilitary forces are ongoing in forested border areas, with the region on high alert ahead of festivals.
This follows a similar October 16 attack on an Assam Rifles camp in Arunachal's Changlang district, injuring two, underscoring rising insurgent activity post the 2023 peace pact with ULFA's pro-talks faction.
