Major border operation on anvil as Arakan Army looks to disrupt polls

New Delhi, Apr 04: A high alert has been sounded along the Indo-Myanmar border in the wake of action being planned against the Arakan Army.

According to Intelligence Bureau officials, the Arakan Army had set up 1,000 member camp at Lawngtalai district in Mizoram. The armies of both India and Myanmar had recently conducted a joint operation to curtail the activities of the group.

The focus of the operation was to crack down on the members of the Arakan Army, an insurgent group in Myanmar, the source said. The members of the Arakan Army had also moved close to the international border along Mizoram.

During the operation, the Indian Army beefed up the security along the border from Nagaland and Manipur to ensure that the insurgents do not cross over to the Indian side. The Indian Army also helped the Myanmarese Army by providing them intelligence, they said. There were also inputs that some members of the Arakan Army were also planning to sneak into India.

This operation was carried out to prevent an attack on the Kaladan multi modal transit transport project.

The Assam Rifles has the responsibility to guard the international border with Myanmar. The Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project is being viewed as India's gateway to the Southeast Asia. India entered into a framework agreement with Myanmar in April 2008 to facilitate implementation of the project. On completion, the project will help connect Mizoram with the Sittwe Port in Rakhine State of Myanmar.

It may be recalled that on March 2, the Myanmar army took over the headquarters of the NSCN-K at the Taga area. The action was taken after the NSCN-K had refused to follow an order to drive out the non-citizen terrorists and armed rebels from their camps. The operation was carried out by 500 security personnel of the Myanmar army.

The rebels were told to return to India, instead of trying to set up fresh camps in Myanmar. The army said that it had not resorted to aggressive military action on the insurgents. The army dismantled the hideouts of the Indian insurgent groups and also took physical control over the headquarters of the outfit.