Imphal, Nov. 7: The United National Liberation Front (UNLF) today refuted the claim by the army that valley-based militant groups of Manipur were contemplating surrender.

The claim by Maj. Gen. A.K. Samantaray, general officer commanding (GOC) 3 Corps, which was published in today?s edition of The Telegraph, mentioned that several militant groups active in Imphal valley, including the UNLF and the People?s Liberation Army (PLA), were in touch with the army and contemplating surrender.

The only obstacle is the lack of a surrender policy guaranteeing the rebels good opportunities to start life afresh, the army official said.

He made the comment after visiting Imphal a few days ago. The army official met governor S.S. Sidhu and talked to army commanders deployed in the state.

In a statement, Ksh. Yoiheiba, self-styled senior publicity officer of the UNLF, described the general?s claim as ?lies and rubbish? which were ?intended to create confusion among the rank and file of the UNLF?.

He further said ?such lies and wrong propaganda could never create confusion among the ranks of the UNLF?.

The ?false propaganda? was also aimed at boosting what the statement termed as ?sagging morale? of the army. ?The general must be dreaming and the UNLF wants to call it the dreaming joke of the year,? the statement said.

The UNLF said the outfit was in touch with the army only in the battlefields.

The statement claimed that four suicide squad members of its 239 MPA battalion mounted an attack on an Assam Rifles post located at Kemdo Molcham, along the India-Myanmar border in Chandel district, on November 4.

The personnel at the post were taken aback by the swift and sudden attack, the statement said, claiming that one army personnel was killed and two others were wounded in the attack.