“The total number of cadres who surrendered since talks were initiated with the People’s Consultative Group in 2005 is 290, which includes today’s 66,” Sarma added.

“These surrenders prove beyond doubt that ULFA is now a highly demoralised force,” said Lt Gen Jaswal. He added that more cadres were also sending feelers to the security forces expressing their willingness to surrender.

In the past few years, recruitment has also come to a near-halt, Sarma said. Nalbari, which was a fertile ground for the ULFA to pick up fresh candidates, for instance has not reported a single recruitment in the past two years.

ULFA spokesman Raju Barua said the surrender by “only a handful of our boys” cannot demoralise the outfit. “These surrenders are all gimmicks and they do take place in a long-drawn war.”