‘Operation Sunrise’, a coordinated counter-insurgency operation by the armies of India and Myanmar that has targeted several militant groups from the Northeast will continue.
Myanmar military sources said that the first phase of ‘Operation Sunrise’ was conducted three months ago along the Indo-Myanmar border, during which camps of north-eastern militant groups were busted.
During ‘Operation Sunrise 2’ that began in mid-May, the two armies coordinated with each other to bust camps of Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), the NSCN (Khaplang), the United Liberation Front of Assam (I) and the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB).
Myanmar military officials said at least 70 militants belonging to these groups were nabbed and several of their camps destroyed during the operation.
The sources said the two sides might launch the third phase of the operation soon after review of the first two phases.
“This is going to continue until our objective of neutralizing the trans border insurgent groups are achieved,” said one Myanmar army officer.
The Indian army and the Assam Rifles were part of the operation.
In the first phase of ‘Operation Sunrise’, the Indian Army targeted members of the Arakan Army, an insurgent group in Myanmar’s Rakhine province, which has intensified their insurgency and caused huge problems for the Burmese.
The Arakan Army had also attacked workers and material suppliers for India’s Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project.
India entered into a framework agreement with Myanmar in April, 2008 to facilitate the implementation of the project. On completion, the project will help connect the north-eastern state of Mizoram with the Sittwe Port in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.
On the Indian side, work is on to extend the Aizawl-Saiha National Highway by 90 km to the international border at Zorinpui.
Myanmar military officials say they are attacking northeast Indian militants in the country’s Sagaing province, while Indian Army is hitting the Arakan Army which had set up bases in South Mizoram.