The Assam Rifles and the Army on Saturday rejected claims by insurgent group National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) of an Indian military operation in Myanmar targeted against its militants, in which security personnel purportedly suffered casualties.
On Friday evening, reports, quoting NSCN(K) sources, said a gunfight had taken place between troops and NSCN(K) militants, and five to six commandos were killed.
The reports came on the eve of Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj’s visit to Myanmar on August 22, even as Assam Rifles and other security agencies stepped up vigil along the India-Myanmar border and across the northeast against the NSCN (K).
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Assam Rifles said, “The alleged offensive on NSCN (K) Camp between Chenmoho village in Mon distt. and Thorloi village in Myanmar on 19 Aug 2016 was not launched by Para Commandos or any other troops of the Indian Army. Firing across the border in Chenmoho village of Mon distt. was heard by the troops deployed in the region. The troops moved closer to border areas but could not ascertain any concrete details about the gun battle across the border.”
The report had come even as Assam Rifles and other security agencies have stepped up vigil along the India-Myanmar border and across the northeast against NSCN (K). The report also came on the eve of Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj’s visit to Myanmar. In a statement issued on Saturday, the Assam Rifles said, “The alleged offensive on NSCN (K) Camp between Chenmoho village in Mon distt. and Thorloi village in Myanmar on 19 Aug 2016 was not launched by Para Commandos or any other troops of the Indian Army. Firing across the border in Chenmoho village of Mon distt. was heard by the troops deployed in the region.
The troops moved closer to border areas but could not ascertain any concrete details about the gun battle across the border.” The statement went on to claim that the “Fire fight is most likely an inter-factional conflict which was claimed against the Indian Army commandos as a propaganda to gain popularity and make headlines by the NSCN(K).”
Reports of encounter
A senior army officer in Delhi however, said there was an encounter between Assam Rifles personnel and a group of KSCN (K) militants, when the latter was trying to infiltrate into Indian side. “We have recovered three automatic weapons, one pistol and a 12 bore,” he said. The officer said the militants abandoned their weapons and retreated to Myanmar, and thus Indian security personnel do not know of any casualty on the other side. “We have not suffered any casualties,” he said. Meanwhile, official sources in northeast said security measures along the 358 km long Manipur- Myanmar border have been stepped up in the wake of the encounter. Intelligence sources said this was to prevent NSCN (K) militants from entering Chandel, the border district, to carry out revenge attacks.
