Rebels kill 13, wound 15 in India's northeast

GUWAHATI, India, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Thirteen people were killed and 15 wounded in attacks by rebels in India's Assam state days before the country celebrates its 60th independence anniversary, police said on Saturday.

Heavily-armed militants of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) raided two houses of businessmen on Friday night in the state's remote Dolamora area, dragged their families out and shot 12 people on the spot.

Those killed were non-Assamese, whom the ULFA accuses of plundering the state's resources and spoiling its culture. The rebel group has been fighting for an independent homeland for Assam's ethnic people since 1979.

In other attacks, militants triggered two bomb explosions in crowded places in Karbi Anglong district, killing a two-year-old boy and wounding 15 others, including some non-Assamese.

"The ULFA along with couple of smaller tribal armed groups are involved in these attacks," a senior police officer said. "The group wants to show its presence before independence day."

Earlier this week, the rebels shot dead eight non-Assamese people, including two children and three women, on Wednesday in the same area and in a similar strike.

The rebels often step up their activities ahead of independence day on Aug. 15, which marks the end of British colonial rule in India in 1947.

This year they have called a six-hour general strike in the state on the day and asked people to boycott the celebrations.

More than 20,000 people have been killed in the ULFA insurgency.