Ajay Kumar at 19:33, 26 August 2023

2023-08-26T19:33:15Z

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{{Short description|Series of clashes in South Bhutan}}


{{for|the Royal Bhutan Army operation against insurgents in South Bhutan in 2003, see|Operation All Clear}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = August 2003 South Bhutan Clashes
| partof = [[Insurgency in Northeast India]], [[Southern Bhutan Insurgency]]
| date = 3 August 2003 – 10 August 2003
| place = Southern [[Bhutan]] 
*[[Samdrup Jongkhar District]]
| result = Inconclusive
*The Bhutanese government would begin [[Operation All Clear|an operation]] against [[ULFA]] and allies in Southern Bhutan 4 months later
| combatant1 = [[File:Flag of United Liberation Front of Asom.svg|22px]] [[United Liberation Front of Assam|ULFA]] 
'''Supported by:''' [[File:Front Nacional Democratic Bodoland.svg|22px]] [[National Democratic Front of Bodoland|NDFB]] [[File:KLO-flag.jpg|22px]] [[Kamtapur Liberation Organization|KLO]] [[File:In nagaland.png|22px]] [[National Socialist Council of Nagaland|NSCN]] [[File:In tpdf.gif|22px]] [[All Tripura Tiger Force|ATTF]] [[File:Flag of the Bodo Liberation Tigers Force.png|22px]] [[Bodo Liberation Tigers Force|BLTF]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/assam/terrorist_outfits/bltf.htm|title=Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) - Former Terrorist Group of Assam|work=SATP|access-date=24 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/bhutan/backgrounders/index.html|title=Bhutan Backgrounder|work=SATP|access-date=24 October 2014}}</ref> [[File:Flag of Jihad.svg|22px]] [[Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam|MULTA]] <ref name=finmay>{{cite web|title=Assessing Bhutan's Operation All Clear|url=https://idsa.in/system/files/strategicanalysis_pkumar_0904.pdf|date=9 September 2004|publisher=idsa.in|access-date=6 April 2023}}</ref>
| combatant2 = Unknown
| commander1 = [[File:Ulfa logo.svg|22px]] [[Arabinda Rajkhowa]] [[File:Ulfa logo.svg|22px]] [[Bhimkanta Buragohain]] [[File:Ulfa logo.svg|22px]] [[Mithinga Daimary]] [[File:Ulfa logo.svg|22px]] [[Rahul Datta]]
| commander2 = Unknown
| strength1 = Unknown
| strength2 = 40-67+
| casualties1 = 7-9+ killed<ref name=satp2003>{{cite web |url=https://satp.org/terrorist-activity/bhutan-Aug-2003 |title=Timeline Terrorist Activities, Bhutan |author= |date=April 5, 2023 |website=satp.org |publisher=Institute for Conflict Management |access-date=April 5, 2023}}</ref> At least 5 wounded<ref name=satp2003/><ref name=bbc>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3122117.stm |title=Gunmen kill India rebels in Bhutan |author=Subir Bhaumik |website=news.bbc.co.uk |publisher=British Broadcasting Company |access-date=April 5, 2023}}</ref>
| casualties2 = At least 4 killed <ref name=bbc/>
}}

The '''August 2003 South Bhutan Clashes''' were a series of clashes between [[ULFA]] militants and unidentified gunmen in Southern Bhutan. The clashes left at least 11 people dead and dozens injured. While the incidents were scarcely reported at the time, many believe they were the first instances of [[Bhutan-Assamese Separatist Conflicts | Bhutanese strikes]] against [[ULFA]] militants in the country's south, and tensions between [[ULFA]], allied [[Assam separatist movements|Assamese separatist groups]], and [[Bhutan]] would lead to a [[Operation All Clear|full-fledged conflict]] breaking out just four months later.

== Background ==
In 1990, India launched Operations Rhino and Bajrang against Assam separatist groups, which caused the militants to relocate their camps to Bhutan.<ref name=finmay/> In the 1990s, ULFA and NDFB, two groups targeted by the Indian operations, allegedly assisted the government of Bhutan in expelling the ethnic Lhotshampa population and occupied the abandoned land.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.revolutionarydemocracy.org/rdv10n1/assam.htm|title=The military Offensive against ULFA|author=Anand Swaroop Verma|work=Revolutionary Democracy |date= April 2004|access-date=11 September 2014}}</ref>

In 1996, Bhutan discovered a large number of camps on its southern border with India, which were set up by various separatist movements including ULFA, NDFB, BLTF, and KLO. These camps were used to train cadres and store equipment while allowing militants to launch attacks into Indian territory.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2010/02/09/Nation/HSEB-to-appoint-new-teachers/4979/|title=Operation All Clear: Bhutan's step for regional security|author=Anand Kumar|work=Kathmandu Post|date=25 December 2003|access-date=5 September 2014|archive-date=7 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140907005528/http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2010/02/09/Nation/HSEB-to-appoint-new-teachers/4979/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

India exerted diplomatic pressure on Bhutan and offered support in removing rebel organizations from its soil. Bhutan initially pursued a peaceful solution and opened dialogue with militant groups in 1998. ULFA agreed to close down four of its camps in June 2001, but the Bhutanese government soon discovered that the camps had merely been relocated.<ref name=finmay/>

Furthermore, ULFA allegedly helped to create several militant groups in southern Bhutan with the help of Nepali Maoists, KLO, and the NDFB, including the BTF and BGLF. This caused Bhutan to become even more concerned and further justified an anti-Assamese separatist operation. Bhutanese parliamentarians began to propose raising the number of Bhutanese militia and introducing conscription, motions which were soon dismissed.<ref name=finmay/>
== Clashes ==

=== August 3-4 ===
Starting in either August 3rd or 4th (reports are unclear), an attack was launched by over 15 unidentified gunmen on a base of the Assamese separatist group, United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), in Kinzo, leaving two ULFA members dead.<ref name=satp2003/><ref name=bbc/> Sometime later on 4th August, between 10 and 12 unidentified gunmen attacked another ULFA hideout in Babang, resulting in the deaths of four gunmen and 1-3 ULFA fighters.<ref name=satp2003/><ref name=bbc/> Both the Samdrup Jongkhar district officials and the ULFA's publicity department confirmed the attacks.<ref name=bbc/>

=== August 10 ===
According to a media report from August 13th, a group of approximately 40 unidentified gunmen attacked a hideout belonging to the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in Tiluka, Bhutan on August 10th. The assault resulted in the death of four ULFA cadres and left five others injured, with casualties amongst the unidentified gunmen unknown. Indian authorities confirmed the attack shortly after. <ref name=satp2003/>

== Identity of the Attackers ==
The attacks sparked controversy over the identities of the armed groups involved in the attacks. ULFA blamed Indian security agencies and surrendered ULFA (SULFA) members for the attacks on their hideouts, believing that the attacks were organized in India. However, Indian officials attributed the violence to infighting within various ULFA factions. Other reports suggested that the attackers could be part of a special force raised by the Bhutanese army under Indian guidance, or even local vigilante groups.<ref name=bbc/>

== Aftermath ==
The spate of attacks on ULFA hideouts in southern Bhutan and Bhutanese government reactions to it demonstrated the state of the deterioration of Bhutanese-ULFA relations. While no known clashes occurred after August 10, several reports indicate that violence may have continued throughout the following months.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://satp.org/terrorist-activity/bhutan-Nov-2003 |title=Timeline Terrorist Activities, Bhutan |author= |website=satp.org |publisher=Institute for Conflict Management |access-date=April 6, 2023}}</ref> On December 15, 2003, Bhutan would launch a campaign to expel ULFA and other allied Assamese separatist groups from Southern Bhutan, with Indian assistance.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/article30220789.ece | work=The Hindu | first=M.S. | last=Prabhakara | title=CRACKDOWN IN BHUTAN | date=16 Jan 2004 | access-date=6 April 2023}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

==External links==
{{Post-Cold War Asian conflicts}}

[[Category:2003 in Bhutan]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 2003]]
[[Category:December 2003 events in Asia]]
[[Category:2000s in Assam]]
[[Category:21st-century military operations]]
[[Category:Bhutan–India relations]]
[[Category:Military history of Bhutan]]
[[Category:Wars involving Bhutan]]

2003 South Bhutan clashes - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 19:33, 26 August 2023