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| Deadly blasts rock Indian state | Deadly blasts rock Indian state |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| At least 50 people have been killed in a series of bomb explosions in India's north-eastern state of Assam, the police say. | At least 50 people have been killed in a series of bomb explosions in India's north-eastern state of Assam, the police say. |
| More than 150 others were injured in at least 18 blasts, the majority of them in the main city, Guwahati. | More than 150 others were injured in at least 18 blasts, the majority of them in the main city, Guwahati. |
| No one has claimed responsibility for the blasts, but police suspect the separatist United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa). | No one has claimed responsibility for the blasts, but police suspect the separatist United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa). |
| Security forces have been fighting separatist rebels in Assam for decades. | Security forces have been fighting separatist rebels in Assam for decades. |
| The explosions in Guwahati and the towns of Kokrajhar, Barpeta Road and Bongaigaon occurred within an hour after 1100 local time (0530 GMT). | The explosions in Guwahati and the towns of Kokrajhar, Barpeta Road and Bongaigaon occurred within an hour after 1100 local time (0530 GMT). |
| A huge blast hit the bus just before the one I was travelling in Zinnia Brahma, eyewitness In pictures: Assam bomb blasts | A huge blast hit the bus just before the one I was travelling in Zinnia Brahma, eyewitness In pictures: Assam bomb blasts |
| Six people were killed in the first explosion in front of the deputy commissioner's office in Guwahati. | Six people were killed in the first explosion in front of the deputy commissioner's office in Guwahati. |
| Five others were killed in the second explosion at Ganeshguri near the state secretariat and four in Panbazar in central Guwahati. | Five others were killed in the second explosion at Ganeshguri near the state secretariat and four in Panbazar in central Guwahati. |
| "A huge blast hit the bus just before the one I was travelling in. The bus got burnt at the front and pedestrians pulled a lot of people hit by splinters and some suffering burns as well," said engineering student Zinnia Brahma, an eyewitness in Guwahati. | "A huge blast hit the bus just before the one I was travelling in. The bus got burnt at the front and pedestrians pulled a lot of people hit by splinters and some suffering burns as well," said engineering student Zinnia Brahma, an eyewitness in Guwahati. |
| Angry crowds attacked the police with stones after the blasts in the city. Dozens of people were injured in the clashes, Reuters reports. | Angry crowds attacked the police with stones after the blasts in the city. Dozens of people were injured in the clashes, Reuters reports. |
| Five others were killed in three explosions that rocked the western town of Kokrajhar. | Five others were killed in three explosions that rocked the western town of Kokrajhar. |
| Explosions were also reported in the towns of Barpeta Road and Bongaigaon, two towns in western Assam. | Explosions were also reported in the towns of Barpeta Road and Bongaigaon, two towns in western Assam. |
| 'Massive strikes' | 'Massive strikes' |
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| Local television shows fire fighters dousing vehicles | |
| Intelligence officials blamed Ulfa for the blasts. | Intelligence officials blamed Ulfa for the blasts. |
| Most fighters in one of Ulfa's elite strike battalions have announced a ceasefire with the government and the security forces have attacked and killed many other Ulfa fighters in recent weeks. | Most fighters in one of Ulfa's elite strike battalions have announced a ceasefire with the government and the security forces have attacked and killed many other Ulfa fighters in recent weeks. |
| "So the Ulfa is striking back in a massive way by taking on soft targets," Assam police chief RN Mathur said. | "So the Ulfa is striking back in a massive way by taking on soft targets," Assam police chief RN Mathur said. |
| "No other group can trigger so many blasts in so many places in such a coordinated fashion." | "No other group can trigger so many blasts in so many places in such a coordinated fashion." |
| He said most of the bombs had been "planted in cars". | He said most of the bombs had been "planted in cars". |
| For the past 10 years, Ulfa has been blamed for bombings targeting gas and oil pipelines, oil depots and areas populated by migrant workers. | For the past 10 years, Ulfa has been blamed for bombings targeting gas and oil pipelines, oil depots and areas populated by migrant workers. |
| Assam police intelligence chief Khagen Sharma told the BBC that the latest bombings prove that the Ulfa is "desperate for survival and does not mind killing even local people indiscriminately". | Assam police intelligence chief Khagen Sharma told the BBC that the latest bombings prove that the Ulfa is "desperate for survival and does not mind killing even local people indiscriminately". |
| The group began an armed rebellion against what it describes as colonial rule by Delhi in 1979. Thousands of people have died in the violence. | The group began an armed rebellion against what it describes as colonial rule by Delhi in 1979. Thousands of people have died in the violence. |
| An effort to start peace talks between the rebels and the Indian government broke down in 2006. | An effort to start peace talks between the rebels and the Indian government broke down in 2006. |
| The rebels are seeking a separate homeland for the Assamese people and demanding that non-indigenous people, particularly Hindi speakers, leave Assam. | The rebels are seeking a separate homeland for the Assamese people and demanding that non-indigenous people, particularly Hindi speakers, leave Assam. |
| There have been a number of major bomb attacks in India in the past few months, many of them blamed on local Islamist groups. | There have been a number of major bomb attacks in India in the past few months, many of them blamed on local Islamist groups. |
| But local separatists have been held responsible for recent explosions in north-eastern cities. | But local separatists have been held responsible for recent explosions in north-eastern cities. |
| Two north-eastern state capitals - Agartala in Tripura and Imphal in Manipur - saw serial explosions this month. | Two north-eastern state capitals - Agartala in Tripura and Imphal in Manipur - saw serial explosions this month. |
| At least 20 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the blasts. | At least 20 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the blasts. |
| Are you in Assam? Did you witness any of the blasts? Send us your comments and experiences. | Are you in Assam? Did you witness any of the blasts? Send us your comments and experiences. |