90 Indian militants die in fighting in Bhutan

CALCUTTA, India — Bhutan’s royal army has killed at least 90 Indian separatist guerrillas in three days of fighting to shut down their bases in the tiny Himalayan nation, an Indian army official said Thursday.

"Between 90 to 120 militants have been killed and the Bhutanese army has suffered six to seven fatal casualties," said Jitendra Singh Verma, chief of the Indian army’s eastern command.

Scores of injuries were reported from both sides, Verma told reporters. His said his information was based on reports from Bhutan’s army.

Bhutanese soldiers have handed over six militants to the Indian army and another four militants were caught by Indian soldiers while trying to sneak into the northeastern Indian states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

The clashes started after about 6,000 soldiers of Bhutan’s royal army began a sweep on Monday through dense forests to push out Indian militants who use their territory to launch hit-and-run raids across the border.

More than 2,000 Indian rebels reportedly moved into Bhutan in 1990. The rebels have been engaged in guerrilla attacks against Indian forces since 1979. Their demands vary from aspirations for a separate homeland to autonomy within India.

Bhutan said it was forced to launch the military offensive after six years of failed talks to persuade the rebels to leave the kingdom.

Fighting slowed Thursday after most rebels deserted their camps, moving deeper into the forests for safer hideouts.

"Some have surrendered, while some others are still holed up," Verma said.

The Indian army, which has deployed troops along the open border to prevent rebels from sneaking out, is providing Bhutanese soldiers with logistic support such as airlifting wounded soldiers, medical treatment and intelligence.

The ULFA, the biggest of the Indian militant groups operating bases in Bhutan, urged a halt to the military offensive on Wednesday, but Bhutan’s government said it would not consider the request until the rebels agree to surrender.

The group has accused the Indian army of using Bhutan to snuff out "innocent lives including noncombatant women and children." Bhutan, however, denied that women and children had been hit in the clashes.