An Assam Rifles personnel was killed while another was left severely injured after a group of militants, suspected to be National Socialist Council of Nagalim – Isac Muviah (NSCN–IM) workers, ambushed a convoy of the 6 Assam Regiment near Khonsa in southern Arunachal Pradesh’s Tirap district on Wednesday, 21 October, reported EastMojo.
Massive search operations are underway at Sanliam village, which lies on the Khonsa Lazu road and shares a border with neighbouring Myanmar.
According to the report, Wednesday’s ambush comes nearly three months after the same regiment of the Indian Army had killed six militants belonging to the National Socialist Council of Nagalim fold near the Myanmar border, in neighbouring Longding district.
NSCN–IM, one of the Naga militant outfits to have signed a ceasefire pact with the Indian government, carried out the attack in retaliation to the 6 Assam Rifle’s attack in July this year, the report said, citing unnamed sources.
On 4 October, militants lobbed grenades and sprayed a water tanker of Assam Rifles with bullets near Tengmo village in Changland district. While one Assam rifles personnel died in the attack, another received severe injuries.
Three districts of Arunachal Pradesh – Tirap, Longding and Changlang – share porous and unfenced borders with Myanmar, and for many years, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) has been enforced in these areas.
The AFSPA gives sweeping powers to the security forces, including shoot-to-kill. Various militant outfits are using these forested areas as their transit route and clandestine hideouts.
(With inputs from EastMojo and IANS)
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