Silchar, May 17: A dissidence-ridden faction itself, the Jewel Gorlosa faction of the Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) attacked a designated ceasefire camp of its rival group led by Dilip Nunisa at Diandu in Umranghshu, 120 km from Haflong, at 3.40 this morning.

A police source in Haflong said Gorlosa’s men, nearly 25-strong, fired around 75 rounds though Nunisa claimed that 500 rounds were fired.

Nunisa also claimed that none of his men were hit and that Gorlosa’s gang fled after they fired back.

Intelligence sources in Haflong today said the attack by the Gorlosa faction was led by one Amal Hojai alias Mairung and another hardcore militant named Athen Hepla.

Nunisa, a veteran militant leader, claimed that at least two of Gorlosa’s men were wounded but they were carried to safety by their colleagues.

Deputy inspector-general of police of south Assam districts, Y.K. Gautam, and superintendent of police, North Cachar, B.B. Chhetry, have arrived at the site of the attack with reinforcements.

This is the 13th major encounter between these two rival factions in the district during the past two years.

Diandu, situated on the Cachar-Karbi Anglong border, is a designated camp of the Dilip Nunisa faction.

The parent group of the DHD, led by Nunisa, is negotiating with the Centre to settle its demand for “Dimaraji” or a separate state for the Dimasas. Nunisa declared soon after the attack that he would step up surveillance as well as other security measures in all their four designated camps in North Cachar and adjacent Karbi Anglong districts to ensure the safety of his 800-strong group.

He made it clear that his faction did not have any faith in the security that the state’s police forces have now been providing.

He pointed out that not a single policeman was posted outside the camp during the attack.