2 paramilitary troops dead in northeast India rebel ambush

GAUHATI, India – Rebels ambushed a patrol vehicle in India’s northeast Sunday, killing two paramilitary soldiers, and the ongoing government counterattack has killed several rebels, police said.

A firefight between troops and the rebels was ongoing, said Ashok Sahai, the top police official of Assam state. It took place in Jairampur, in Tinsukhia district on the state border with Arunachal Pradesh.

Rebels participating in the attack included the United Liberation Front of Assam and groups from neighbouring Manipur state, Sahai said. No one has claimed responsibility.

The rebels used a crude bomb and rocket-propelled grenades and hand grenades to attack the paramilitary vehicle.

Dozens of rebels groups are fighting in seven northeastern states for independence or greater autonomy. They accuse India’s government of exploiting the region’s rich natural resources while neglecting local development.