Syed Barkatullah, Dhaka
DHAKA / AGARTALA, January 26 (TIWN): The dreaded Tripura rebel group NLFT seems to have collected enough money to pick up a fairly substantial consignment of weapons on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border recently.Intelligence officials say that a gang of 30 to 40 NLFT rebels trekked down to a base of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) in Silopi in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and collected about 50 assault rifles and an assortment of ammunition and explosives recently.The NSCN's Issac-Muivah faction , though negotiating with Delhi , for the last 17 years, never closed down the base at Silopi and also few other bases in Myanmar's Sagaing Region.They use them to trade in weapons and narcotics. Bangladesh agencies say they are considering the possibilities of raiding Silopi and other remote locations in Chittagong Hill Tracts but find it considerably more difficult to do that because its Rapid Action Battalion is not really trained for mountain warfare.Sources in Nagaland say the NSCN is trying to sell off their old weapons stocks to lesser rebel armies like the NLFT and NDFB or the Karbi and Dimasa rebel groups.
NLFT sources say the pick-up was smooth as Bangladesh army or para-military forces have no presence in the very remote region.
They say the NSCN seems to have sold them some weapons from their old stocks.
That is because they are keen to collect cash as collection from extortion in Nagaland is dropping.
The NLFT, taking advantage of the complacency of the Tripura and Mizoram police, has become active belatedly.
Their fighters have been involved in some kidnappings, all to pay for the purchase of fresh weapons.
The RAB however have regularly raided locations like Satcherri and recovered much weapons left behind by the ULFA and the ATTF.
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