Indian Army exchanges fire with Naga militants on Myanmar border

The Indian Army said on Wednesday that it had inflicted "heavy casualties" on Naga militants after exchanging fire with the rebels along the Myanmar border in the early hours of the day.

In a statement, the Army said that insurgents had opened fire on troops at the Indo-Myanmar border, following which it retaliated.

NSCN-K cadres are believed to have suffered heavy casualties in the "firefight" that started at around 4.45 am and lasted for a couple of hours. The Indian Army said none of its personnel were hurt in the operation, contradicting reports that had suggested otherwise.

Detailed statement attached pic.twitter.com/nbLYMLCqxQ

— EasternCommand_IA (@easterncomd) September 27, 2017

Heavy casualties reportedly inflicted on NSCN(K) cadre. No casualties suffered by Indian Security Forces — EasternCommand_IA (@easterncomd) September 27, 2017

Reports of casualties to #IndianArmy personnel factually incorrect. Firefight occurred along Indo-Myanmar border at 0445 hrs today @adgpi — EasternCommand_IA (@easterncomd) September 27, 2017

Around 70 para-commandos were involved in the operation on the hideouts located near the border, sources told News-18. Army sources told the channel that the border was not crossed at any point.

The Indian Army has been increasingly active along the Indo-Myanmar border over the past 18 months in a bid to root out insurgency.

Earlier this month, the Army had launched an operation along the Myanmar border areas in Arunachal Pradesh. One cadre of the Khaplang faction of NSCN was killed and the hideout of the outfit was destroyed.

The operation has taken place exactly a year after India carried out a surgical strike on terror camps in Pakistan.

The NSCN-K did away with the ceasefire it signed in 2001 with the Indian government, on March 27, 2015, just a month before the truce was up for renewal.

Since then, the outfit has launched attacks on Indian soldiers in Nagaland and Manipur.

In June 2015, 18 soldiers were killed when NSCN-K mounted a deadly ambush on a convoy of the 6 Dogra Regiment in Manipur's Chandel district.