China on Wednesday dismissed as “completely groundless” the media reports accusing its army officials of having links with a militant group involved in an attack on Indian troops in Manipur that left 18 soldiers dead. “Relevant report is completely groundless,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong lei said in response to an e-mail query from PTI. “The Chinese government consistently upholds non- interference in other country’s internal affairs, and will not support any anti-government forces in any country,” he said.
In one of the worst attacks in two decades, insurgents last week had ambushed a military convoy in Manipur, killing at least 18 army personnel and injuring 11 others. Hitting back at rebels, special forces of the Indian Army on Tuesday carried out a surgical strike inside Myanmar, killing nearly 20 insurgents. Elite commandos of the Indian army also went a few kilometers inside the Myanmar territory to destroy two camps of insurgents hiding there after their attacks in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh last week by NSCN(K) and KYKl outfits.