Myanmar launches ops against NE ultras

October 28, 2020 76 Views No Comment

NEW DELHI, OCT 27 (AGENCIES): Myanmar army has launched ‘Operation Sunrise-3’ to crack down on various insurgent groups gathered at the Indo-Myanmar border, a Zee News report stated.

In its earlier report, Zee News revealed that the NSCN (K), led by Yung Aung, was consolidating its position inside Myanmar and various NSCN groups are planning to attack Indian security forces at vulnerable points in the North East region.

Indian foreign secretary Harsh Shringla and Indian Army Chief Gen. Manoj Mukund Naravane were on a two-day visit to Myanmar this month. It is said that talks were held between the two countries about joint actions against insurgents groups operating in the North East regions and in Myanmar.

“Specialized Myanmar Army units are engaged to carry out combing operations in search of NSCN-K and other groups at various places in the Sagaing region of Myanmar. Infantry units of the Myanmar army is also carrying out operation towards the eastern side of Manipur river,” said an Indian security officer aware of these developments.

The Operation Sunrise-3 of the Myanmar Army in the Sagaing Division is mainly due to the latest input of insurgents groups consolidating its position from Sagaing and other areas to Northern Chin state. The security agencies of both countries are apprehensive that the insurgent’s groups along the Indo-Myanmar border are conspiring to infiltrate into the Indian side through the Mizoram border.

It may be recalled that the Myanmar government in May this year reportedly handed over at least 22 militants from the North Eastern, thus becoming the third neighbouring country to act against the Indian frontier region’s insurgents at New Delhi’s request.

Though Myanmarese soil has been used by North Eastern insurgents, mainly from Nagaland and Manipur, for a long time, this was the first time that the Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) had acted on India’s request and handed over any North Eastern insurgent.

According to The Wire, the Myanmar government had also signed a memorandum of understanding on the governance of the areas contiguous to India with the NSCN (K), even though it was then a banned insurgent group in India. However, from early 2019 onwards, the Myanmar government has been actively cooperating with India to crack down on northeast insurgents and take full control of those areas.

In January 2019, the Myanmarese military had conducted raids on some camps in the frontier areas and reportedly arrested 24 militants belonging to Assam and Manipur. In February last year, the military took control of the NSCN (K) headquarters in the Sagaing region after the death of its supremo S.S. Khaplang, thus sending out the strongest signal that it would no longer allow its soil to be used for insurgency in India.

The Centre in September this year extended the ban on NSCN (K), saying the insurgent group has been engaged in violence, extortion and secessionist activities. Home Ministry said the rebel group was involved in 104 violent incidents resulting in the killing of seven security personnel, six civilians and abduction of 75 civilians since September 28, 2015.

Source: http://www.nagalandpost.com/myanmar-launches-ops-against-ne-ultras/223750.html