Assam Extends AFSPA Imposition Across State For Six More Months In View Of Recent Insurgent Attacks

Chief Minister (CM) Sarbananda Sonowal-led Assam Government on Tuesday (25 August) declared the entire State as "disturbed area" for six more months under the provisions of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA), reports Times of India.

As per the development, the entire State has been declared a disturbed area starting 28 August for six months, during which the AFSPA's imposition would continue in the State. The notification says that the decision has been taken in the view of recent insurgent attacks on the security forces in the North East States, and the recovery of illegal arms and ammunition from different areas of Assam.

The latest extension of AFSPA imposition comes in succession to the previous such imposition which was declared in March. Then, the State Government had reasoned that the AFSPA imposition was a necessity given the threat of armed outfits luring youth opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019.

AFSPA was first imposed in Assam in 1990 by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Later in 2017, the Centre transferred its power to the State Government to decide on any further extension of AFSPA in the north-eastern state.