Joint Op saves Indian workers from militantArakan Army
India and Myanmar Armies conducted a fortnight long joint operation to smash camps of insurgent group, Arakan Army, along the Mizoram-Myanmar border.
The co-ordinated action starting February 17 was undertaken to prevent the militants from targeting the Kaladan transit and transport project linking Kolkata with Sittwe port in Myanmar. The joint operation was also conducted to protect Indian workers working on the strategically important project in Myanmar to improve connectivity in the North-East.
The Myanmar Army carried out the actual operation involving smashing the insurgent camps and driving away the militants, the Indian Army provided back-up support by sealing the Mizoram border to prevent the insurgents from escaping into India. However, the Indian Army did not cross over into Myanmar but provided intelligence and mounted surveillance through helicopters and drones on its side.
Giving this information here on Friday, officials said most of the camps of the Arakan Army were located across the Border Pillars 1 to 9 on the Mizoram-Myanmar international border. The co-ordinated action was launched as these camps posed a threat to both the countries. Intelligence reports indicated there were about 1,000 insurgents lodged in 10 to 15 camps between Border Pillars 1 and 9.
The Assam Rifles guarding the international border along with Army troops sealed the border during the action.
Alarm bells started ringing some months back after reports said members of the Arakan Army, trained by Kachin Independent Army, mostly active in areas bordering Yunan province of China, started moving towards south Myanmar from their bases in the north of Myanmar. This movement started in late 2017. Keeping this in view, the two countries decided to go after the insurgent group and launched the operation on February 17 and ended it on March 2.
The action saw all the camps located there smashed and burnt down, sources said.
As regards the Kaladan project, which could be in the days to come, would have been targeted by the insurgents, officials said the ambitious project is likely to be completed this year. Once functional, it will provide the North-East connectivity through the sea route.
The total project entails opening up of sea route from Sittwe port in Myanmar to Kolkata, 150 kilometres of river route through Kaladan project, 62 kilometres of road up to the international border between India and Myanmar and around 100 kilometres of road from Mizoram capital Aizawl to the international border. The project will also open up the sea routes to other south Asian countries, which is vital for the fast and all round development of the North-East.
Moreover, after the Kaladan project is operational, the distance between Kolkata and Mizoram will be reduced by at least 800 km and also cut down the travelling time by at least three to four days.
