Imphal, March 15: Claiming its hands in the attack on the 24 Assam Rifles post located at T Minnou village, West of Moreh town this morning, the proscribed UNLF has speculated that over 10 AR personnel could have been killed in the attack.

A statement issued by the outfit's senior publicity officer Ksh Yoiheiba informed that the attack was undertaken by a company of the MPA's 293 Bn.

The attack which began in thw ee hours continued for two hours.

Of the seven barracks destroyed in the attack, three were totally reduced to cinders, Yoiheiba asserted.

Moreover, three bunkers were also demolished.

However, taking advantage of the semi-dark condition before the dawn, the AR personnel posted in the camp managed to flee to safety.

Yet, some personnel who could not escape bore the assault inside the trench of the burning barracks.

In the course of the attack, the MPA fired 21 shells from six rocket launchers.

Moreover, a large canon, one 60 mm mortar and ten M-79 Lethods were also used in the attack, Yoiheiba conveyed.

There was a stage when the MPA cadres were in a position to take over the AR camp completely but the camp's proximity to international border and their (Assam Rifles) headquarters at Moreh and the long distance the MPA cadres have to retract after the assault deterred the MPA to capture the camp.

As such, the MPA cadres retracted in many groups in different directions after attacking the AR camp for two hours.

More than 4000 rounds of AK series weapons were fired in the attack.

However, because of the friendly relationship between India and Myanmar, the objective of the attack undertaken near the international boundary could not be realised completely, Yoiheiba confided.

But more than 10 AR personnel might have been killed and many more injured in the attack, he added.

Later, at about 12 noon, three helicopters landed at the helipad of Moreh AR camp and whisked away the dead and injured security personnel.

The act of retrieving the dead and injured personnel were undertaken in a such stealthy manner so as not to let police personnel and civilians of the area know about the casualty suffered by Assam Rifles, alleged the publicity officer.

Maintaining that three high ranking security officials also came to Moreh in a helicopter, Yoiheiba guessed that one of the official could be the GOC of 57 Mountain Division based at Leimakhong.

Another high ranking officer Bikash Sharma was also said to be among them, he added.

Surprised and frightened by the daring attack of the MPA, security personnel were firing heavy weapons indiscriminately at Khongtal of Dingpi area since 1 pm today.

Today's attack of the MPA to demolish bunkers and barracks was the first of the outfit's Operation Canon, Yoiheiba informed while declaring that the MPA would continue with counter offensive against security forces.