Assam govt extends AFSPA for six more months
The Assam government has extended the existing “disturbed area” status of the state for another six months under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958.
“The Government of Assam in exercise of powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 has declared the entire State of Assam as ‘’Disturbed Area’’ up to six months with effect from 28-08-2021 unless withdrawn earlier,” said a statement issued by the government on Saturday.
Though the government didn’t specify any particular reason for the extension, it is speculated that it might have been in view of the recent activities of several insurgent groups in the state.
In the last couple of months militant outfits from the state have grabbed the headlines quite a few times for various reasons - be it the signing of the Peace Accord with Karbi outfits on September 5, extension of unilateral ceasefire by the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) in August or the killing of five truck drivers by suspected Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) militants on August 27.
The AFSPA was first imposed in Assam in November 1990 and has been extended every six months ever since after a review by the state government.
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