First cross-border operation in two decades

New Delhi: Sources revealed that much of the thickly-forested border area on the Myanmar side was not under the actual control of the Myanmar Army, with terrorists from North-East militant groups operating freely from there to evade Indian security agencies. This is the first time in nearly two decades that the Indian Army is believed to have carried out cross-border anti-terror operations.

Following both the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008 and the successful American covert operation to kill Saudi-born terror mastermind Osama bin Laden in Pakistan a few years ago, many security experts have felt the Indian Army should develop and nurture the capability to carry out precise cross-border anti-terror ops with credible intelligence inputs in PoK, where terror camps operate with impunity. But this has remained a possibility fraught with risk.

Significantly, Army Chief Gen. Dalbir Singh Suhag visited Manipur last week after the ambush and interacted with top commanders there, following which the planning for the cross-border operation is believed to have started.

Officially, the Army said the operations were carried out as part of an “immediate response” after it received inputs that militants were planning more attacks in Indian territory.

Sources said about 15 insurgents were killed in the assault, with no casualties among the Indian soldiers. Following the terror attack on its personnel last week, the Indian Army had requested the Myanmar Army for assistance. Army officers on Tuesday said the Indian Army has been in communication with the Myanmar authorities and the Indian Army has a “good relationship” with the Myanmar Army.

Noting that the Army had been on “high alert” after the Manipur attack, Maj. Gen. Ranbir Singh, additional director-general of military operations, said in the course of the past few days, “credible and specific intelligence” was received about further attacks that were being planned within Indian territory.