Kohima, May 16: An NSCN (I-M) team today killed 14 members of its rival factions in one of the bloodiest internecine battles, not sparing even civilians when they raided a ceasefire monitoring cell of the outfit.
Around 5.30am, members of the Isak-Muivah faction waylaid a joint team of the NSCN (Khaplang) and the newly floated NSCN (Unification), which was on a mission to raid their rival’s camp at Seithekema C village on the outskirts of Dimapur.
The gunbattle that ensued continued till 10am, leaving 14 dead.
Residents of the adjacent areas woke up to the sound of heavy machine guns and artillery fire, though the site of the clash was several kilometres away.
When the guns fell silent, a mob of hundreds attacked the ceasefire monitoring cell of the NSCN (I-M) located in the area and tried to set it ablaze.
But the crowd had only managed to break a few windows when the rebels opened fire, killing two and injuring three others.
Seithekema C is not far from the Vihokhu camps of the NSCN (U) and the NSCN (K), where several clashes had taken place in the past couple of weeks.
The only role that police could play today was of retrieving bodies from the site of the clash.
The dead have been identified as Mughato Sumi, Atoyi Sumi, Mughalu Sumi, Tokavi Sumi, Vikishe Sumi, Kitoshe Sumi, Samuel Sumi, Hokiye Sumi, Albert Lotha, Inakhe Sumi, Moa Yimchungur and Akito Achumi. The identities of the two other rebels were yet to be confirmed by the NSCN (U) and the NSCN (K).
Angry residents, tired of incessant clashes between the factions, blocked National Highway 39.
Another group surrounded Wungram colony where most of the NSCN (I-M) leaders live. But the police prevented them from entering the colony. There were reports of gunbattle in the area too. One civilian was injured in the crossfire.
The police said the situation in and around Dimapur was tense and there had been reports of intermittent firing from other parts of the town too. All business establishments and shops in the town were closed.
“The situation will turn from bad to worse in the coming days,” said Akaho Assumi, spokesman for the NSCN (U).
“We have lost 14 of our cadres,” he said, terming the incident as “unfortunate for the Naga people”.
Brig. Phungthing Shimrang, convenor of the ceasefire monitoring cell of the NSCN (I-M), said the rebels had fired at the rivals only in retaliation. He claimed that 17 rebels of the rival groups were gunned down and 11 arms seized. The police, however, put the death toll at 14.
Brig. Shimrang also claimed that three houses near the ceasefire monitoring cell were burned down by rival rebels and that the attack on the cell’s office involved sophisticated weapons.
“How can the public use sophisticated guns to attack my office?” he asked.
NSCN (I-M) sources said its members had surrounded the NSCN (U) and NSCN (K) camps at Vihokhu, some 10km from Dimapur.
The outfit, they said, has been directed by the collective leadership to batter the rival camps and rebels. Most of the top leaders of the two factions are holed up at Vihokhu camp.
Today’s incident came barely a day after Union home minister Shivraj Patil during a visit to the Northeast said if the Nagaland government failed to rein in violence in the state, the Centre would be forced to intervene.
