The northeastern region of India, comprised of seven states that border Bangladesh, China, Bhutan and Burma, has experienced more than a decade of violence and more than 10,000 people have died in the region as a result. The region is home to religious insurgent groups, migrant workers from neighboring countries, separatist groups vying for independence and indigenous tribes. Last Thursday’s bombings in the northeastern state of Assam were vivid reminders of the volatile disagreements between these various groups.  The death toll following the 13 or more coordinated blasts reached 84 people today, with more than 400 people reportedly injured. An elusive terrorist group called the Islamic Security Force – Indian Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attacks on Friday in an SMS message sent to News Live television which read: “We, ISF-IM, take the responsibility of yesterday blast. We warn all of Assam and India for situation like this in future. We thank all our holy members and partners. AAamin.”

The Indian Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for several attacks in other parts of India this year. The coordinated bombings in a popular tourist district in Jaipur on May 13, 2008 claimed more than 80 lives. In July, a coordinated series of 19 bombs were detonated in Gujarat’s capital, Ahmedabad, killing at least 45 people and injuring 160. Tensions between Hindus and Muslims in Gujarat have been high since 2002 when sectarian violence flared up and 2,000 Muslims were killed by Hindu mobs. Gujarat is home to a strongly anti-Muslim wing of India’s main opposition party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Although Islamic Security Force – Indian Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the Assam bombings, the police and special task forces continue to investigate, theorizing that several different terror groups worked together on the attacks. They have not yet ruled out a separatist group called the United Liberation Front of Assam, which carried out deadly bombings in Assam earlier this month. The publicity department for the the ULFA has denied the group’s involvement. Police are investigating two other active groups, Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami (HuJI) and the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), which may have links to both ULFA and ISF-IM.

With 174 terrorist, insurgent and extremist groups operating in India, some of which have been banned by India’s government, it’s clear that the investigations into the latest attacks will take time.

WIDE ANGLE explored the issue of sectarian violence in India in Soul of India.