A Naga woman confronts armed militants during a similar gunfight last year. A file picture

Guwahati/Kohima, March 17: Several hundred terrified people fled their villages in the disputed “D” sector along the Assam-Nagaland border after fierce gunbattles broke out between the two factions of the NSCN this morning in which at least one militant was killed.

The sub-divisional police officer, Dhansiri, Golaghat district, Bolin Deori, said a gunfight between the two rival factions started in Liphi village in the foothills since early this morning, forcing the villagers to flee from these areas out of fear. “The gunbattle broke out on Sunday evening on the hilltops inside Nagaland but this morning spread to the foothills of the disputed areas. The villagers in these areas have fled to the Assam side,” he said.

The officer said the villagers claimed that there were several casualties but since the incident site was in a disputed area, “we could not go there”.

Sources said the NSCN (I-M) cadres launched an attack on the rival NSCN (K) camps to rescue one of their senior leaders being held captive by Khaplang’s group.

A group of NSCN (I-M) cadres attacked Sunghabasti under Bhandari sub-division in Wokha district on Sunday evening when the NSCN (K) cadres were having dinner. The gunbattle has been raging since then.

Wokha deputy commissioner A. Wopen confirmed the death of at least one NSCN (I-M) member in the battle. “According to our information, an NSCN (I-M) cadre has been killed,” he said. Search for more bodies was on, he said.

Wokha district, an NSCN (I-M) stronghold, shares a border with Assam’s Golaghat district. The deputy commissioner said cadres of both warring factions have been forced out of the areas and security forces are carrying out a search operation.

Wopen said people started fleeing since early this morning. “We have no idea where the villagers have gone since these areas are covered with thick jungles. Many villages wore a deserted look.”

Singson, a senior kilonser (minister) of the NSCN (K), said their cadres were proceeding towards the Chukitong designated camp near Wokha town when they were attacked by rival cadres, allegedly without provocation. Chukitong is nearly 10km from Wokha town.

The Dhansiri sub-divisional police officer said though Liphi village is in a disputed area, the inhabitants of the village were Lotha tribesmen of Nagaland.

Samson Jojo, chief principal secretary of the NSCN (I-M), said the Khaplang group provided enough provocation by abducting three of their cadres since March 13 in Wokha district. He said at least one of its officials from Wokha district was in the Khaplang faction’s custody.

The NSCN (I-M) also said the rival cadres have been forcibly collecting tax in Merapani for the past week and harassing the people. Officials of the Wokha district administration, along with members of Naga Lotha organisations, have rushed to the spot to defuse tension.