16.3.19

Rebel camps along India-Myanmar border ‘smashed’

Around a dozen insurgent bases and camps have been “smashed” along the India-Myanmar border, with the countries’ armies working in close coordination to eliminate threats in the region, especially to the ongoing Kaladan multi-modal transit project to boost connectivity in the northeast.

Even as the Myanmar army has stepped up operations against insurgent groups operating in its territory since January, Indian forces have reinforced their positions with an additional 15 infantry and Assam Rifles battalions, Special Forces and drones along the entire 1,643-km-long border in a major operation, code-named “Operation Sunrise”, to prevent any “spill-over”.

“Myanmar Army, in its latest operation conducted in its Chin state opposite South Mizoram from February 17 onwards, has destroyed 10-12 camps of the Arakan Army, an insurgent group based in Myanmar that is closely associated with the Kachin Independence Army, which has links with China,” said a source.

Earlier, towards the end of January, the Myanmar Army had undertaken “flushing out” operations at Taga area in its Sagaing division, where the general headquarters of Indian insurgent group NSCN (Khaplang) and camps of ULFA (I), NDFB (S) and Manipuri-origin outfits are located. “The Myanmar Army has established a base at Taga to get all militants to vacate their camps,” said the source.

“This shows the enhanced level of bilateral military cooperation to clear camps of insurgent groups – whether from India or Myanmar – from the border areas through joint operations and intelligence-sharing. Though NSCN (K) has a regional ceasefire in Myanmar, the two countries have agreed not to let insurgent camps thrive in the border areas,” he added.

The latest operation across Borders Pillars 1 to 9 in south Mizoram was conducted because it was assessed Arakan Army insurgents were posing a threat to the Kaladan project, which envisages connectivity between the Kolkata port and Sittwe Port in Myanmar and then through riverine transport and by road to Mizoram.

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