New Delhi: Just about a year after India’s elite Special Forces carried out incisive strikes on militant launch pads across the Pakistan border inflicting huge damage, it was deja vu time as about 40-odd specially-trained soldiers hit a camp of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) insurgents along the Indo-Myanmar border on Wednesday early morning.
Divided into two groups, the team from 12 Para Special Forces attacked the thatched hutment amid thick jungle foliage along the undulating mountainous terrain located bang across the tri-junction of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Myanmar.
Sources claimed that at least 11-12 insurgents had been gunned down. After being cleared at the highest levels in New Delhi and acting on specific information, the Special Forces team set out carrying AK-47 and Israeli-made Tavor assault guns, rocket launchers, sniper rifles and fortified with night vision goggles and other navigational equipment, from the Longding district side in Arunachal Pradesh at about midnight. According to sources, the SF team conducted the strike about 6 km deep inside Myanmar, and exited from the Mon district side in Nagaland. By about 6 am, they were back at their base with all members of the team safe and sound.
No casualties on Army side
The Army however denied that the Indo-Myanmar border was crossed and claimed it was not a surgical strike.
The Eastern Command stated that a column of the Indian Army operating along the Indo-Myanmar border was fired upon by unidentified rebels of the NSCN (K) at around 4.45 am.
“Own troops reacted swiftly and brought down heavily retaliatory fire on insurgents. The insurgents then broke contact and fled from the spot. As per inputs, a large number of casualties were suffered by the insurgents. Own troops suffered no casualties”.
“The encounter started around 3 am when the elite unit of the Naga Army detected a column of Indian Army approaching their temporary make-shift camp in the outskirt of Langkhu village located inside Myanmar occupied Naga area, 10-15 km away from Indo-Myanmar border,” said Sumi, who did not respond to further queries.
