Myanmar undertakes ‘Operation Sunrise-3’ against insurgent groups in India's Northeast

New Delhi: Myanmar military has launched ‘Operation Sunrise-3’, against the terrorists from the northeastern states of India, hiding in the India-Myanmar border regions. Intelligence agencies had warned, a few days ago, that the terrorist groups from northeastern India are aligning and planning major strikes in India. Only two weeks ago, Indian Chief of Army Staff Manoj Mukund Naravane and Foreign Secretary Harshvardhan Shringla visited Myanmar. It was reported that discussions were held regarding action against these terrorists hiding in the border regions, during the visit. Against this background, the action initiated by Myanmar becomes significant.

It has been repeatedly exposed that the terrorists from various terror groups are hiding in the arduous terrain along the India-Myanmar border. In 2015, 18 soldiers of the Indian Army had been martyred in an attack launched by the terrorists from the ‘United Liberation Front of Western and South East Asia’(UNLFW). UNLFW is the apex body of all the terrorist organisations in the northeastern states and the attack was carried out by the member group ‘National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang’ (NNCN-K). Thereafter, India launched a comprehensive campaign against the terrorist organisations in northeast India. Surgical strikes were also carried out, in Myanmar, to eliminate bases of these terrorist organisations.

Since that time, the Indian and Myanmar militaries are consistently working in coordination, against the terrorist organisations, operational in north east India and Myanmar. In the last four years, the Indian security forces have eliminated many terrorists and many have been arrested. Some terrorists have surrendered. This reduced the influence of these terrorist organisations and they became weak. Thereafter, Operation Sunrise was launched, in collaboration with the Myanmar military, for targeting bases of these terrorist organisations, in the Myanmar border regions.

Operation Sunrise-1 was launched in February-March last year. Thereafter, in May, Operation Sunrise-2 was carried out. This operation lasted for three weeks. In these two campaigns, Myanmar military destroyed many terrorist bases and eliminated many terrorists. The Myanmar military also lost 13 soldiers, during an operation in the reserved provinces. Now Operation Sunrise-3 has been launched.

A few days ago, the intelligence agencies had warned that the terrorist organisations are regrouping and planning a major attack on the Indian security forces. The Myanmar military seems to have started Operation Sunrise-3, against that background. Massive search operation has been launched in the Sagaing province for the terrorists from the NNCN-K and other terrorist organisations. It was reported citing a security official that the campaign is being carried out even on the east side of Manipur river.

The terrorist group, Arakan Army, is repeatedly trying to target the Kaladan Project between India and Myanmar. On completion of this project, Mizoram will be connected to the Sittwe port, in the Rakhine Province of Myanmar. As per reports, the Arakan Army has established bases at many locations along the India-Myanmar border. Indian intelligence and security agencies are keeping a tight vigil on their activities. This increases the significance of Operation Sunrise-3, launched by the Myanmar military.