Bodo rebels agree to truce from Oct 15

The move by the National Democratic Front of Bodoland comes days after a string of weekend blasts blamed on the rebels, which left 53 people dead in various parts of the state.

"In response to the Assam chief minister's offer for a ceasefire, the National Democratic Front of Bodoland has decided to accept the offer for a period of six months effective October 15 to create a congenial atmosphere for talks," D.R. Nabla, president of the rebel group, said in a statement.

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"All the commanders of the Bodoland army have been asked to stop hostilities against India," he added.

The outlawed National Dem-ocratic Front of Bodoland was formed in 1986 and has been fighting a guerrilla war to carve out an independent homeland for the Bodo tribe in Assam.

Last Thursday, Gogoi had offered a conditional ceasefire to the group and the other rebel army in the state, the United Liberation Front of Asom, asking them to respond by October 15.

The National Democratic Front of Bodoland claimed responsibility for at least four of the deadly attacks over the last weekend.

Nearly 10,000 people have died in insurgency related violence in the state over the past two decades.

Meanwhile, India's revolt-hit northeastern Assam state welcomed a ceasefire offer yesterday by a powerful separatist group that had claimed responsibility for several of a string of deadly blasts last weekend.

The outlawed National Demo-cratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) said Friday it was ready for a ceasefire and peace talks, raising hopes for an end to two decades of violent insurgency in the region that has claimed more than 10,000 lives in the past two decades.

"The National Democratic Front of Bodoland's ceasefire offer is a positive move and a step forward in the right direction. We welcome the announcement," Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi told reporters in the main city of Guwahati.

"Regarding cessation of security operations from our side, we shall take appropriate steps the moment we get a direct communication from the NDFB expressing their offer for a ceasefire," Gogoi said. "We now hope Ulfa too will come to the negotiating table and offer a ceasefire."