Myanmar deploys additional brigade along border with India

NEW DELHI: Myanmar has deployed an additional brigade comprising around 6,000 men and officers along the border with India, apparently to prevent any more surgical strikes by the Indian army inside its territory.

The brigade has been deployed in addition to five already posted along the 1,643 km-long Indo-Myanmar border, a senior government official said.

The additional deployment has been apparently made to prevent Indian army commandos from carrying out any more attacks on the camps of northeastern insurgent groups based in the neighbouring country like they did on June 9, the official said quoting intelligence inputs.

Myanmar was upset with India after a crack team of about 70 commandos of the Indian army, equipped with assault rifles, rocket launchers, grenades and night vision goggles, was airdropped from helicopters and they attacked two camps being run by NSCN-K and KYKL militants inside that country.

The operation was carried out after the Naga militants killed 18 soldiers in an ambush in Chandel area of Manipur on June 4.

Days after the attack, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had visited Nay Pyi Taw and briefed Myanmarese leadership, which was upset over the operation conducted by Indian troops on their territory. He had explained New Delhi's position vis-a-vis the militant groups, which were involved in subversive activities in the Northeast, the official said.

Myanmar was believed to have conveyed its displeasure to India during the Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting held here on July 16. The meeting was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Myanmarese counterpart U Wunna Maung Lwin.

"It is clear that they didn't take kindly the way we carried out the operation. It was reflected in discussions," the official said.

According to an estimate of security agencies, there are around 60 camps of Northeast insurgent groups like NSCN-K, KYKL, PLA of Manipur, ULFA and NDFB of Assam in Myanmar.

NSCN-K chief S S Khaplang is a Myanmarese Naga who operates out of Taga, a border town of the neighbouring country.