New Delhi: In an operation that reportedly took place inside Myanmar, para-commandos of the Indian Army gunned down five militants of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-Khaplang) on June 27.
This is the second such big operation against the NSCN(K) by the Para 21 commandos of the army since January 2018. Media reports quoting sources in the security forces have confirmed that the latest operation took place three kilometres outside the Indian border. Defence sources had said that the one in January was along the Myanmar border.
In September 2017 too, the army carried out a major operation against the NSCN(K) but categorically stated that it was along the international border.
Additionally, in August 2016, while the earlier reports quoting local police officials and later NSCN (K) sources said the Para 21 commandos crossed two km into Myanmar to conduct an operation against the armed outfit – which the All India Radio also confirmed in a tweet – defence sources later denied that the army crossed the international border.
The series of denials is apparently because of the Myanmar government’s disapproval of the June 2015 operation on its soil. In 2015, the army carried out what is considered to be one of the biggest strikes against NSCN(K) inside Myanmar to avenge the killing of 18 Assam Rifles (AR) personnel in March that year in Manipur’s Chandel area. The government chose to publicise it as a “surgical strike” carried out on Myanmar soil. However, the Indian side later claimed the location of the strike was along the international border as it didn’t go down well with the Myanmar government.
In July 2017, Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing visited New Delhi for eight days. Media reports said the Indian government rolled out “the red carpet” for him and his wife.
According to reports quoting defence sources, the army’s latest strike targeted NSCN(K)’s Sawalo camp, three km inside Myanmar and bordering Nagaland. The operation is said to have lasted about two hours. Neither the army nor the Central government have confirmed the location officially.
NSCN(K) has, however, confirmed the attack and the fact that it took place in Myanmar, stating that it took place around noon on June 27. In a Facebook post on the evening of June 28, the outfit’s Yangon-based leader Isak Sumi said, “The Indian Army in huge number crossed Chenmoh village and arrived at the international boundary some kilometres away from the Naga Army forward post, and on realisation that their presence has already been detected, they resorted to blank firing randomly for several minutes to which the Naga Army responded and prevented any further advance. They retreated when we responded”. Without confirming the number of people killed, Sumi said, “Casualties could not be ascertained.”
The army operation came days after NSCN(K) cadres killed two AR personnel in an ambush in Nagaland’s Mon district, besides attacking an AR patrol party near the state’s Kiphire town with an IED blast, injuring one jawan.
While the Indian government is in peace talks with the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) faction, the NSCN(K) faction walked out of a 14-year-old ceasefire with the government in March 2015 to restart its operations. The June 2015 ambush of the Indian army in Manipur came soon after the ceasefire agreement fell apart.