As Myanmar is reportedly pushing the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) militants towards the Indian side of the border, several units of the Naga militants have started camping in remote villages in eastern India.
According to inputs from Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) and other intelligence agencies, groups of 30 to 40 Naga militants are camping in remote regions of Ukhrul and Grihang in Manipur, Phek and Kohima in Nagaland and Tirap in Arunachal Pradesh. It has also been learnt that at least 80 militants are hiding in an undisclosed location in Arunachal Pradesh.
The inputs reportedly suggest that these units are planning a 4 June-like attack on the Indian Army, BSF and Assam Rifle groups. On 4 June, 18 security forces were killed in a deadly ambush by the NSCN(K) militants, The Times of India reports.
"Ukhrul has been chosen for a major strike because it is the stronghold of their rival outfit NSCN-IM," according to the input.
The information was received after the Indian agencies reportedly intercepted SOS messages passed on by a unit of NSCN(K) to the militant group's headquarters in Myanmar's Taga region, TOI, which claims to have exclusively accessed the document, reports. The message was meant for NSCN(K) head SS Khaplang.
According to the message, which was intercepted on 9 June when the Indian Army carried out a major strike against the Naga militants, the Myanmar Army is planning to "flush out" mobile unit-5 cadres of Naga militants from their side of the border to the Indian side.
At least 50 to 60 Myanmar soldiers have already occupied one of the NSCN(K) cadres' locations, the input suggested. Even as Myanmar is forcing the militants towards the Indian side of the border, India is reportedly planning more strikes on them.
India has planned further attacks in view of the purported threat of another ambush on Indian security forces and also because it does not want the militants to flee to Myanmar, posing threat in future.
In order to strengthen its resolution to stop the militants from casuing further difficulties to the nation's security, India may push Myanmar to act against NSCN(K) head Khaplang and other militant groups linked to him, Hindustan Times reports.
India will ask Myanmar to collect evidence to prove that NSCN(K) was involved in the 4 June ambush on Indian military. National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval will visit Myanmar on 16-17 June to discuss ways to improve security in both the countries. He is also believed to bring up the 2014 memorandum of understanding (MoU) on border cooperation.
