Indian troops battle Naga insurgents along Indo-Myanmar border
What's the story
A firefight broke out between Indian Army troops and Naga insurgent group NSCN(K) along the Indo-Myanmar border in the early hours of Wednesday.
The Indian troops were operating in the area when they came under fire by the insurgents and retaliated, the Indian Army's Eastern Command said in a statement.
The insurgents suffered heavy casualties. The Indian troops suffered no casualties.
Information
Firefight was not another "surgical strike"
The Army said the firefight took place at around 4:45 am today. Official sources rejected reports suggesting the army had conducted "surgical strikes" across the Myanmar border. The Army clarified that the Indian troops didn't cross the international border into Myanmar.
Twitter Post
Copy of the official statement
Detailed statement attached pic.twitter.com/nbLYMLCqxQ
— EasternCommand_IA (@easterncomd) September 27, 2017
Context
Myanmar home to anti-India insurgent groups
India's northeastern states share a largely-porous 1,640-km border with Myanmar.
Several anti-India insurgent groups, including the NSCN(K), have taken refuge across the border into Myanmar.
Myanmar has cooperated with India to help eliminate these insurgent groups.
In June 2015, the Indian Army launched an operation against NSCN(K) militants along the Indo-Myanmar border, in response to an attack that killed 18 Army men in Manipur.