SHILLONG, June 6 � ULFA cadres are training in the camps of the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) in Garo Hills, three surrendered GNLA cadres, including the area commander of West Khasi Hills claimed here .
According to three GNLA cadres, who surrendered before the Director General of Police Rajiv Mehta, the ULFA has been frequently training in the GNLA camps right from 2011.
Gabriel D SHira (area commander), Walsrang Ch Sangma and Sembath D SHira surrendered with arms and ammunition that included one carbine, HK Rifle, pistol and several rounds of ammunition.
They said that ULFA cadres during the training stay at one of the seven commands of the GNLA spread across Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills and train with the GNLA cadres.
They further said that the deputy commander-in-chief of the ULFA once visited the GNLA camps, although they weren�t able to say who the militant was.
The cadres were, moreover, not able to tell if the GNLA shared similar rapport with other militant organizations of the northeast or from where the outfit procured arms and ammunition.
Meanwhile, Mehta said that the surrender of the GNLA cadres comes as a �big blow� to the outfit and said that the number of GNLA cadre has been dwindling.
�Due to sustained operations by the security forces, the strength of the GNLA has been reduced,� Mehta said and added that more such surrenders would follows as the police have received overtures from disgruntled militants.