Indian Army Strikes Naga Insurgents Along Myanmar Border

Sputnik News

18:44 27.09.2017

In a major counter-insurgency operation along the Myanmar border, the Indian Army has inflicted heavy damage on Naga insurgents.

New Delhi (Sputnik) – The Indian Army struck the hideouts of Naga insurgents on the Indo-Myanmar border; several insurgents are said to have lost their lives in the attack.

"In the early morning hours of 27th September, an Indian Army column, while operating along the Indo-Myanmar border, was fired upon by unidentified insurgents. Indian troops reacted swiftly and brought down heavy retaliatory fire on the insurgents. The insurgents then broke contact and fled from the spot," the Indian Army said in a statement.

A larger number of casualties were suffered by the insurgents. India's troops suffered no casualties during the firefight. It is reiterated that India'stroops hadn't strayed across the international border, the statement added.

The operation has taken place at a time when the Indian government is beefing up its Indo-Myanmar border vigilance due to the threat of the sudden influx of the Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. Naga community members live on both sides of the border, in both India and Myanmar. India has repeatedly stated that Naga insurgents associated with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN –K) use Myanmar soil to wage war against the Indian government.

Seventy Para Commandos of the Indian Army was involved in the operation on the Indo-Myanmar border, inflicting heavy casualties on NSCN (K) insurgents as per reports.

The NSCN(K) is a terrorist group seeking a separate homeland; it abrogated the ceasefire it had signed in 2001 with the government of India on March 27, 2015. The development happened just a month before the truce was up for renewal.

The terrorist group head SS Khaplang's rebels went on a killing spree after breaking the truce and went on attacking Indian soldiers in the Indian States of Nagaland and Manipur.

This is the second strike of this kind by the Indian Army in recent times. In June 2015, India carried out the same kind of operation along the Myanmar border and targeted NSCN-K camps. The provocation of the operation then was attributed to the militants' ambushing and killing of 18 Indian soldiers in Manipur, several days before the operation.

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