The United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) (ULFA (I)) has come under significant pressure following a series of drone and missile strikes on its camps along the Indo-Myanmar border, which the group attributes to the Indian Army. 

According to multiple statements released by ULFA (I), the attacks occurred between 2 am and 4 am on Sunday, targeting their mobile camps between Longwa on the Nagaland-Myanmar border and Pangsau Pass near Arunachal Pradesh.

The group claims the strikes killed at least three senior commanders—Lieutenant General Nayan Medhi (alias Nayan Asom), Brigadier Ganesh Asom, and Colonel Pradip Asom—and injured 19 other cadres.

ULFA (I) alleges that approximately 150 bombs were dropped using drones sourced from Israel and France, marking the operation as one of the largest in recent years. The strikes reportedly hit not only ULFA (I) positions but also affected allied camps of groups such as the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K).

The location of the attacks—deep in Myanmar’s Sagaing region within the Naga Self-Administered Zone—has historically functioned as a sanctuary for northeastern insurgent outfits, taking advantage of the region’s porous borders and unstable control amid Myanmar’s ongoing civil conflict.

Despite these claims, the Indian Army, Assam Chief Minister, and state police have officially denied any knowledge or participation in such cross-border operations, stating that they have "no inputs" on any such activity. Security analysts suggest that the explosion of violence in Myanmar—due to its civil war involving ethnic armed groups and a weakened central authority—makes it plausible that attacks on ULFA (I)’s camps might have originated from Myanmar’s ethnic militias or even the Myanmar military, rather than Indian forces.

The fallout from these attacks has forced ULFA (I) to seek new hideouts, given the losses and instability in their traditional bases in Myanmar. Intelligence agencies report that since being expelled from Bangladesh in 2012 and Bhutan in 2003, Myanmar had become ULFA (I)’s prime operating area. However, with the current turmoil and internal feuds among armed factions in Myanmar, the outfit finds itself navigating a hostile landscape with declining safe havens.

Amid this crisis, intelligence sources reveal that ULFA (I) chief Paresh Baruah is warming up to Bangladesh for potential new sanctuaries. Baruah is reportedly moving between Myanmar and China’s Yunnan province, attempting to re-establish connections in Bangladesh—a country that previously hosted ULFA but later cracked down on Indian separatists.

Notably, Baruah’s death sentence in Bangladesh related to the 2004 Chattogram arms smuggling case was recently commuted to life imprisonment, which may be an additional incentive for the group to look towards Bangladesh for support.

In response to the strikes and ongoing pressure, ULFA (I) has threatened retaliatory actions or sabotage activities, particularly during major observances like India’s upcoming Independence Day. Security agencies in Assam are maintaining heightened vigilance, warning that the group could attempt strikes to reassert its presence and avenge its losses.

Heavy drone and missile strikes—attributed by ULFA (I) to Indian forces but officially unconfirmed—have compelled the group to abandon key Myanmar bases and seek new refuge. The situation is compounded by the volatile security environment in Myanmar and ULFA (I)'s leadership seeking alternatives, including the possibility of re-engaging with Bangladesh for operational bases. Security agencies continue to monitor the situation closely, anticipating possible retaliatory moves by the insurgent outfit.

Agencies