South Asia Terrorism Portal
Assam: Proxy Insurgency in the Hills Giriraj Bhattacharjee Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management M. A. Athul Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management
On May 20, 2020, the Dimasa Students Union (DSU), All Dimasa Students Union (ADSU), and Dimasa Mothers Association (DMA) began a three-day sit-in demonstration in front of the Dima Hasao Deputy Commissioner's Office, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the abduction and murder of former Dima Halim Daogah-Nunisa (DHD-N) leader Santosh Hojai by unidentified assailants on April 24, 2020. The sit-in-demonstration concluded on May 22, 2020, with the submission of a memorandum of demands to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal through Deputy Commissioner Paul Baruah. Apart from the CBI enquiry, other demands included the immediate arrest of the culprits, compensation to the family of the deceased and justice.
Earlier, on May 14, 2020, a 36-hour-long Dima Hasao bandh (shutdown strike)called by the Halali Progressive Welfare Society (HPWS)against the abduction and murder of Santosh Hojai led to deserted streets in the District. HPWS' formationwas initially announced in the form of Halali Progressive Group and formally launched at the official disbanding ceremony of DHD-N. Dilip Nunisa, former 'chairman'of DHD-N has been the 'president of the HPWS since its inception. DHD-N was dissolved on March 9, 2013.
Significantly, unidentified persons abducted Santosh Hojai from his house in Damadi Hawar village under Harangajao Police Station in Dima Hasao District on April 24, 2020. His body was later recovered from the Langting area of the District on April 30.
The ongoing protest in the District can disrupt the peace established in the District established since 2010. DSU 'general secretary' Pramith Sengyung,warned, on May 1, 2020, ,
Meanwhile, former DHD-N militants as well as the family members of the deceased blame a local Police official for the killing. The HPWS'president', Dilip Nunisa, asserted,
Two officials of the Dima Hasao District - Superintendent of Police (SP) Bir Bikram Gogoi, and Deputy SP (DySP) Surya Kanta Morang -have since been transferred by the Government to other units outside the District. On May 4, 2020, the Gauhati High Court, while hearing the petition of Santosh Hojai's wife Jayanta Hojai, constituted a Special Investigating Team (SIT) headed by the Deputy Inspector General-Southern Range (DIG-SR) Dilip Kumar Dey to probe the incident.
In the meantime, Police have questioned Kanchan Naiding, a militant of Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA), a nascent militant outfit active in Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong Districts, in connection with the case. No further update on DNLA's involvement in the killing is available.
Previously, on April 24, 2020, a joint team of the Assam Police and Indian Army units (Military Intelligence and Para Special Forces) killed two DNLA militants, identified as '2nd Lieutenant' Gadayeng Dimasa aka Rupson Thousan (32) and 'Area commander' Elwin Jidung (31), at Dugoidisa village in Misibailam under the Dhansiri Police Outpost in the Karbi Anglong District. An M-16 and an AK-47 assault rifle were recovered from the slain cadres. Another DNLA cadre, Devlin Hojai, managed to escape from the encounter site, according to sources.
On April 23, 2020, DNLA threatened to stop coal mining in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao Districts. In a release to the media, DNLA warned, "if anyone defies, there will be no mercy and action will be taken."
On February 27, 2020, suspected DNLA militants opened fire at a vehicle belonging to a road construction company in the Mailoo area under Langting Police Station in Dima Hasao District. However, there was no report of any casualty in the incident. A worker of the road construction company said that the armed militants took them to a jungle area and told them to ask the owner of the company to give ransom money.
On January 25, 2020, DNLA called a 24-hour bandh in the Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong District of Assam to commemorate 'Dimasa Martyrs Day'. On January 25, 2018, two protestors belonging to the Dimasa community, Probanta Hakmaosa and Mithun Dibragede, were killed at Maibang Railway Station in Dima Hasao Districtwhile protesting against the Naga Framework Agreement .
DNLA announced its formation on April 15, 2019. According to partial data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), since its formation, DNLA has been found involved in six incidents of terrorism (data till May 24, 2020). These include one incident of killing which resulted in the death of two DNLA militants.
DNLA is led by its 'chairman' Naisodao Dimasa. Other prominent leaders include 'army chief', Gajaw Dimasa; 'information Secretary', Ringsmai Dimasa; and 'home secretary', Kharmindao Dimasa. A militant, Babu Hojai, who surrendered on September 17, 2019, claimed that DNLA had a cadre strength of 90 militants.
Though the DNLA calls itself an armed organisation of the Dimasa tribe fighting to establish a 'sovereign Dimasa Homeland' in areas supposedly comprising the Dimasa inhabited areas of Karbi Anglong, and Dima Hasao Districts, it is widely believed that it is a creation of the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) with the objective of establishing a 'proxy insurgency' in the Hill Districts of Assam. DNLA's creation helps fill the vacuum in local insurgent activities in the Hill Districts created by the disbanding of various factions of DHD.
Reports also point out that a section of the NSCN-IM leadership led by Phungting Shimrang (the former 'commander-in-chief' of the Naga army) and 'Brigadier' Chiphemi Shimrang had helped in the formation of DNLA. Both these Naga insurgent leaders are now believed to be in China.
DNLA has also admitted the role of NSCN-IM. DNLA's 'training instructor' Betsing Jidung aka Master Dimasa aka John Dimasa disclosed, after his arrest on August 13, 2019, that NSCN-IM had raised, trained, armed and sheltered their cadres, but that it did not do this for free. DNLA had to buy their weapons: INR 150,000 per AK-47 type rifle and between INR 250,000 to INR 300,000 each for a US-made M16, M4 rifle. Also, DNLA 'army chief' Minom Phonglosa aka Gajaw Dimasa, revealed that he had a meeting with NSCN-IM 'Brigadier' Chiphemi Shimrang near the outfit's Hebron Camp in Dimapur District, Nagaland. Shimrang asked Phonglosa to target Security Forces (SFs) using high grade explosives like Research and Development Explosives (RDX) and Tri-Nitro-Toluene (TNT).
In fact, reports indicate that NSCN-IM and DNLA have operated together at least once. The then Dima Hasao, SP, Bir Bikram Gogoi, had disclosed that, according to inputs, a joint team of DNLA and NSCN-IM was behind the February 26, 2020attack (above).
An immediate reason for NSCN-IM's help for setting up of a Dimasa militant formation is likely to put pressure on the Government to restart the stalled Naga peace talks .Although, the NSCN-IM and the Government of India (GoI) on October 30, 2019 had agreed to sign a peace agreement within the parameters of the 2015 Framework Agreement , issues of a separate constitution and flag have not been resolved.
NSCN-IM's cold calculations from a military strategic point of view will be to fan a possible rise in violence and ethnic tensions in the sparsely populated Hill Districts of Assam with new armed groups, giving the Naga insurgent group more room to manoeuvre. It is pertinent to recall here that all the major militant formations that were once active in Assam's tribal dominated Hill Districts have signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) or Suspension of Operation (SoO) Agreements with the Government.
NSCN-IM had earlier also facilitated the emergence of new militant groups in this region. These included the Rengma Naga Hills Protection Force (RNHPF). RNHPF was formed with the help of NSCN-IM to protect the 'interests' of the Rengma Naga people living in Karbi Anglong. The formation of several other groups that operated in the region was also supported by NSCN-IM. Prominent among these were Black Widow (BW), Hill Tiger Force (HTF),and Dimasa National Revolutionary Front (DNRF).
SFs have proactively tracked the DNLA since its formation. In a significant achievement, on January 30, 2020, SFs arrestedDNLA 'army chief' Minom Phonglosa from Hatuka Forest in the Karbi Anglong District. However, other major figures of the group -'chairman' Naisodao Dimasa and 'home secretary'Kharmindao Dimasa,remain elusive.
The containment of DNLA activities in the Hill Districts is crucial to ensure that the peace established as a result of the disbanding of DHD factions is not derailed. Further, the peace talks with Naga groups, including NSCN-IM, need to be expedited, even as strict action against errant elements is taken, so that the new armed formations are not incubated, and incipient groupsdo not get logistical and material support once formed.
Chhattisgarh: Rajnandgaon: Diminishing Dangers Deepak Kumar Nayak Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management
On May 8, 2020, four Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres and a Police Sub-Inspector (SI) were killed in an exchange of fire in a forested area near Pardhoni village under Manpur Police Station limits in Rajnandgaon District. The four slain Maoists were identified as Ashok Rainu (35), a 'divisional committee member (DCM) of the CPI-Maoist'sRajnandgaon-Kanker border division committee, carrying a reward of INR 800,000 on his head; Krishna Nareti (26), an 'area committee member (ACM), carrying a reward of INR 500,000 on his head; and the two women cadres, identified as Savita Salame and Parmila, both members ofthe Local Organisation Squad (LOS), carrying rewards of INR 100,000 each on their heads. Security Force (SF) personnel recovered an AK-47 assault rifle, one Self Loading Rifle (SLR) and two .315 bore rifles from the encounter spot. .
This was the first major success of the Security Forces (SFs) against the Maoists in the District since August 3, 2019, whenseven CPI-Maoist cadres were killed in a gunfight with SFs in the forest near Sitagota village under Baghnadi Police Station limits in Rajnandgaon District. The slain Maoists were identified as Sukhdev, 'secretary' of theDarekasa 'area committee' of the CPI-Maoist's'Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh (MMC) zone'; Pramila, his wife and member of the Darekasa 'area committee'; Seema, Meena and Ritesh, members of the same squad; and Lalitha and Shilpa, members of the 'Vistaar (expansion) Platoon No 1'. It was the most successful operation by the SFs in terms of number of fatalities on the rebel's side since March 6, 2000, when the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) started compiling data on Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-linked violence.
SFs have succeeded in eliminating three or more Naxalites in Rajnandgaon on a total of five occasions, including the two mentioned above, since March 2000. The other three operations include:,
All these operations took place during the last four years, beginning 2017.
Fatalities in 'Rajnandgaon District' and Chhattisgarh: 2000*-2020**
Rajnandgaon
Chhattisgarh
% in Rajnandgaon
Year
Civilians
SFs
Maoists
NS
Total
2000
0
2001
6
4
3
13
2002
1
2
5
8
12.5
2003
9
21
16
46
2004
7
20
28
2005
53
48
26
127
1.57
2006
184
52
117
353
1.13
2007
78
198
74
18
368
2008
32
67
68
169
1.18
2009
14
37
51
76
154
359
14.20
2010
80
150
91
322
2.48
2011
82
73
192
3.64
2012
30
44
106
1.88
2013
55
36
34
125
1.6
2014
25
64
49
138
1.44
2015
33
41
115
3.47
2016
35
135
206
1.94
2017
59
167
9.58
2018
15
57
132
248
6.04
2019
19
122
6.55
2020
27
22
58
8.62
133
873
1,120
1,253
24
3,270
4.06
The success of operations since 2017 has helped SFs consolidate their hold in the District. The SF:Maoist kill ratio since 2017 works out to 1:5.6, a clear indication of dominance of the SFs on the ground. Between 2001 and 2016, an adverse ratio of 11:1 prevailed against SFs, although this was principally due to a single particularly bad year, 2009, when 37 SFs lost their lives, while not a single Maoist was killed.
Successes of the recent years aside, Rajnandgaon is one among 27Districts where the overall kill ratio stands in favour of the Maoists, at 1.53:1.There are 80 Districts across 10 States which have recorded fatalities in both Maoist and SF categories since March 6, 2000. Only 27 of these, spread across six States, have recorded a kill ratio that favours the Maoists.
Worryingly, Rajnandgaon is one among 48 Districts where the civilian fatalities outnumber Maoist fatalities, out of 99 Districts across 11 States which have recorded fatalities in both Maoist and civilian categories since March 6, 2000. "
Rajnandgaon is also currently among the '30 worst Maoist-affected' Districts, across seven States in the country, according to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA). Furthermore, the District is among the 90 Districts in 11 States that are considered LWE affected, according to a Government release of February 5, 2019. Rajnandgaon is also listed as one of the 'Aspirational Districts' included in the 'Aspirational Districts Programme', which focuses on five main themes - Health & Nutrition, Education, Agriculture & Water Resources, Financial Inclusion & Skill Development, and Basic Infrastructure - which have direct bearing on the quality of life and economic productivity of citizens in 'underdeveloped' pockets.
Rajnandgaon covers an area of 8,222 square kilometers, of which more than 11.90 per cent (around 978.87 square kilometres) is under forest cover. The District shares its borders with Kabirdham, earlier known as Kawardha in the north and Durg in the east, both in Chhattisgarh; Gadchiroli and Bhandara Districts in Maharashtra, and Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh, in the west; and Bastar in Chhattisgarh, in the south. All these Districts, with the exception of Durg and Bhandara, are LWE-affected.
The District's strategic location makes it an ideal choice for Maoists to include it in their scheme of things. According to an August 12, 2019, report, following a decision taken in the 'Central Regional Bureau (CRB)' meeting in 2014, CPI-Maoist is trying to develop the 'MMC zone'. Broadly, parts of Rajnandgaon, along with Kabirdham and Mungeli in Chhattisgarh;Balaghat, Mandala, Dindauri (Dindori) in Madhya Pradesh; and Gondia, Nagpur and Gadchiroli in Maharashtra, come under the 'MMC Zone'. The 'MMC Zone' is intended to be developed as an entity like the 'Dandakaranya (DK) Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC)' in Bastar, which is predominately tribal, forested and hilly, and consequently suitable for guerrilla warfare. Significantly, a 25-page-long Maoist document, retrieved by the Chhattisgarh Police in April 2017 had revealed the rebels' plans about the 'MMC zone'.
Evidently, the Maoists, who are facing severe reverses across the country, including in Chhattisgarh , are struggling to recover the few places where they retain some hold. This is where the 'MMC zone' fits in. Senior officers (names withheld) involved in counter-insurgency operations in Chhattisgarh believe there are about 180 armed Maoists now in the 'Vistaar Dalam' (expansion armed squad) of the 'MMC zone', who are trying to establish their grip in the 'MMC zone'. The 'MMC zone' is said to be a refuge for top Maoists of Bastar and other regions.
Revealing that the Maoists were also exploring the 'urban support network', Police arrested 12 'sympathisers' for their alleged links with the CPI-Maoist, in Rajnandgaon District on May 14, 2020. The arrested persons were supplying materials for uniforms, shoes, wires, and walkie-talkie sets, besides cash, in lieu of being allowed to function as road contractors in the Bastar Division. Earlier, an April 24, 2020, report, had given details about the Maoists''urban support network', after Chhattisgarh Police arrested seven sympathisers from Rajnandgaon (three) and Kanker (four). The 'sympathisers' were allegedly transporting a huge consignment of shoes, fabric and walkie-talkie sets, meant for the Maoist rebels.
These disclosures confirm the residual threat of the Maoists in the District.
Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Director General of Police (DGP), DM Awasthi, on February 1, 2020, asked officials to prepare a strategy for the succeeding five months and to conduct operationsaccordingly. DGP Awasthi later instructed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) from Rajnandgaon and Kawardha to chalk out a five-month strategy in advance for conductinganti-Naxal operation in their regions. He also told the Rajnandgaon Police to involve the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and District Force in the anti-Naxal operations.
Four ITBP battalions are currently deployed for anti-Maoist operations in Rajnandgaon, in addition to the regular security deployment. Significantly, according to a May 5, 2020, report, the Centre has decided to deploy eight battalions (over 8,000 personnel) of ITBP in Chhattisgarh on a permanent basis from 2021, as a step towards uprooting the Maoists in the region. Over 3,000 ITBP personnel were first deployed in Rajnandgaon District in December 2009. .
The Maoists continue to struggle to recover their erstwhile strongholds, including Rajnandgaon. The SFs need to sustain operational intensities to end any prospect of the rebels making a comeback in the District.
Weekly Fatalities: Major Conflicts in South Asia May 18-24, 2020
Security Force Personnel
Terrorists/Insurgents
INDIA
Jammu and Kashmir
INDIA (Left-Wing Extremism)
INDIA (Total)
PAKISTAN
Balochistan
KP
PAKISTAN (Total)
146 civilians killed during Ramazan across Afghanistan, states ONSC: Office of National Security Council (ONSC) said on May 22 that 146 civilians have been killed and 430 others were wounded in attacks initiated by the Taliban during the month of Ramzan. Javid Faisal, a spokesman for ONSC tweeted that The Taliban showed zero respect for civilians and the agreement was to reduce violence, and they have continued their deadly campaign against the Afghan people in the last week of the holy month of Ramadan. They killed 25 civilians, including women and children, and wounded 89 across 20 provinces. Tolo News, May 24, 2020.
Taliban announces three-day ceasefire for Eid-ul-Fitr: The Taliban on May 23 announced a three-day ceasefire with the Afghan government on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. A statement issued by the group's spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Twitter said that the Taliban will not stage any attack on 'enemy' forces, but will maintain the right to defend itself against potential threats. Tolo News, May 25, 2020.
President Ashraf Ghani pledges to release up to 2,000 Taliban Prisoners: President Ashraf Ghani in a meeting on May 24 announced that the government will release up to 2,000 Taliban prisoners as a goodwill gesture in response to the Taliban's calling for a three-day ceasefire, and the president also pledged to take further steps in the peace process. Tolo News, May 25, 2020.
Political Agreement between Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah includes Electoral Reform: Electoral reforms included in the President Ashraf Ghani and former Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah power-sharing agreement. The section of electoral reforms, includes legal, technical and cadre reforms, introducing the biometric system at the earliest. These reforms are aimed at change in the electoral system while considering discussions on the MDR system or other options, in agreement with elites and the Constitution. Also, amendment of the law on political parties is also included. Tolo News, May 22, 2020.
Kashmir is India's internal matter, says Taliban 'spokesman' Suhail Shaheen: The Taliban denied claims that appeared on social media stating that it could join Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Kashmir, highlighting the fact that the Taliban was clear that it "does not interfere in internal affairs of other countries". "The statement published in the media about Taliban joining Jihad in Kashmir is wrong…. The policy of the Islamic Emirate is clear that it does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries." Hindustan Times, May 19, 2020.
Over 300 terrorists in launch pads across LoC, 240 active in hinterland, says J&K DGP Dilbag Singh: Over 300 terrorists are present in launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), waiting to infiltrate into the Indian side, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said on May 19. "The approximate number (of terrorists in launching pads along LoC in PoK) on Kashmir side is 150 to 200 and on this side (Jammu region), it is between 100 to 125 as per the latest assessment of our agencies", he said. The DGP said that there are reports of infiltration by 30 terrorists into J&K in 2020. "On both sides (Jammu and Kashmir regions) put together, the number could be anywhere around 30 this year," Singh said, adding the number of infiltration attempts has gone up. Singh said that over 240 terrorists are operating in the hinterland in Jammu and Kashmir. "The number is going down, consistently. We started with a figure of 270 at the beginning of this year. The number today is around 240, which is as per the list of latest figures," he added. "We have been able to eliminate 70 plus terrorists so far which includes 21 terror commanders of various outfits. They were active in Kashmir and Jammu region", he added. The Economic Times, May 19, 2020.
Manipur Government requests Union Government to remove NSCN-IM camps: Manipur Government on May 18 requested the Government of India (GoI) to remove unauthorised National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) camps from Manipur into Nagaland. Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh stated that he brought up the matter to the notice of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA). United Committee Manipur (UCM), in a letter to Union Home Minister, has also demanded GoI's clarification and immediate action on the presence of NSCN-IM camps in Manipur. Nagaland Post , May 19, 2020.
Ceasefire covers all Naga areas, claims NSCN-IM: National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) on May 20 claimed that ceasefire and the peace process cover all Naga territories. NSCN-IM stated that "This spirit has guided the 22 years of Indo-Naga political talks throughout. It was this mutual understanding and respect that has carried the talks this far." NSCN-IM issued a statement following a letter from the Manipur Government to the Union Home Ministry to shift unauthorised camps from Manipur to Nagaland. North East Now, May 21, 2020.
Pakistan continues to harbour Taliban and Haqqani Network, says US Department of Defence report: United States (US) Department of Defence quarterly report to US Congress says that Pakistan continues to harbor the Taliban and associated militant groups in Pakistan, such as the Haqqani Network, which maintains the ability to conduct attacks against Afghan interests. The report by the Inspector General of the US Department of Defence for the January-March quarter, issued on May 19, pointed to a continuation of Pakistan's efforts to achieve its strategic objectives in Afghanistan, including shutting out India from the war-torn country. Times of India, May 22, 2020.
Pakistani doctor planning to carry out 'lone wolf' terror attacks in US indicted: A 28-year-old Pakistani doctor on H-1B visa has been indicted by a federal grand jury on pledging allegiance to the Islamic State/Islamic State of Iraq and Levant/Daish (ISIS) and expressing his desire to carry out "lone wolf" terror attacks in the US. According to the indictment, Muhammad Masood, a licensed medical doctor from Pakistan, was formerly employed as a research coordinator at a reputed medical clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Times of India, May 17, 2020.
President vows not to allow anyone to harass war heroes: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on May 19 marking 11 years of peace achieved after three-decades long war with Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) vowed not to let anyone, any country or any organization to harass the war heroes who protected the country. "Even powerful countries would not allow any action against their War Heroes and I will not allow anyone to exert undue pressures on War Heroes, harass them and target our War Heroes in a poor country like ours. If any international organization or anyone targeting our War Heroes on baseless allegations is trying to harass us, I emphatically state that I will not hesitate to withdraw our membership from such organizations," the President said. Colombo Page, May 20, 2020.
The South Asia Intelligence Review (SAIR) is a weekly service that brings you regular data, assessments and news briefs on terrorism, insurgencies and sub-conventional warfare, on counter-terrorism responses and policies, as well as on related economic, political, and social issues, in the South Asian region.
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