Guwahati, May 10 (IANS): A day after security forces killed four Maoist cadres in Assam, the anti-talk faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) said Thursday that the "red rebels" had its moral support.

"Everyone has the right to protest and it is the circumstances that decides on whether the protest would be armed one or unarmed. The failure of the so-called democracy in India to fulfill the aspirations of the people has given birth to Maoism and it is gradually expanding," commander-in-chief of the outfit Paresh Baruah said in an email statement.

"Although there are some ideological differences with the Maoists, they have our moral support in their struggle," said the statement.

"While the government had been compromising with the Maoist rebels and releasing their leaders in other parts of the country like Orissa and Chhattisgarh, in Assam the believers of the same ideology are being killed by the government," Baruah said, adding this also indicates the hatred of "Indian rulers" towards the people of Assam.

The ULFA leader took objection to the way the bodies of four Maoist cadres were handled by Assam Police Wednesday and appealed to them to respect humanity.

The four suspected Maoist guerrillas were killed in a shootout with security forces in a village in Tinsukia district, about 600 km from here.

The police operation started early Wednesday following a tip-off that some Maoists had taken shelter in the village.