7 States and 14 Militant Groups in the North East! Mind Boggling, isn't it?

The 14 militant groups or lets call them 'The G-14', are the 'big-wigs' of the region, in terms of experience, manpower, arms and expertise in subversive activities. Besides The G-14, there are other smaller, splinter groups that usually sprout because of some difference or the other with their leadership; these are a 'dime a dozen'! Not so much a threat, but generally an irritant to the security forces.

Let's take a closer look at the state-wise breakup of 'The G-14'.

• Assam: Leading the pack is the ULFA or the United Liberation Front of Asom. Followed by the NDFB or the National Democratic Front of Bodoland. Then there is the KLNLF or Karbi Longri N.C. Hills Liberation Front, and finally the UPDS or United Peoples' Democratic Solidarity.

• Manipur: The major militant outfits of this state are the PLA or Peoples Liberation Army and the PREPAK or People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak.

• Meghalaya: The 'abode of the clouds' has a dubious distinction of rearing three militant outfits, namely the ANVC or Achik National Volunteer Council, HNLC or Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council and GNLA or the Garo National Liberation Army.

• Mizoram: More or less a peaceful state barring one outfit, the HPC (D) or the Hmar People's Convention (Democratic).

• Nagaland: Perhaps the oldest of all the militant groups in the region is from this state. Earlier known as the NSCN or the National Socialist Council of Nagaland  since been split into the NSCN (I-M) or NSCN (Isak-Muivah) and NSCN (K) or NSCN (Khaplang).

• Tripura: The militant outfits active in this state are the NLFT National Liberation Front of Tripura and the ATTF or the All Tripura Tiger Force.

• Arunachal Pradesh: The youngest among the 'Seven Sisters', Arunachal still has not opened its account with militancy per se. But it is still guilty of aiding and abetting militancy by way of opening its lush green jungles to all the other militant outfits as a safe haven for setting up training camps and hide-outs! 

So, there you have it, 14 militant outfits spread across the seven states of the northeast of the Indian subcontinent!