14 Naga rebels killed in factional feud

At least 14 Naga rebels were killed in a fierce gun battle between two factions of the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim at the outskirts of Dimapur town in Nagaland at 10 am on Friday.

Security sources informed that heavily armed cadres of the NSCN-Issak Muivah, which is in a truce with the Indian government since 1997, attacked a hideout of the rival NSCN-Unification faction at Seithekhema near Burma colony at Dimapur town.

The NSCN-IM men also snatched away the weapons of the slain NSCN-U cadres before escaping. Police and army personel reached the spot four hours later. Tension prevailed, even as the police and army cordoned off the area to disallow reinforcements by both the warring factions.

Security officials said the Nagaland police have so far recovered 14 bodies, and identification of the slain NSCN cadres was in progress. It was yet to be ascertained if there were any civilian casualties in the gun battle. Cadres from both the factions of the NSCN might have been killed in the battle.

Friday's incident was just one the ongoing clashes between the two NSCN factions. It all started earlier this year following the formation of the NSCN-U by a section of the senior leaders from the NSCN-IM. Over 40 cadres belonging to both factions of the NSCN have beeen killed in bloody feuds so far this year.