In a major development, 52 National Socialist Council of Nagaland (K-Yung Aung) militants have surrendered before the security forces.
As per reports, 52 NSCN (K-YA) rebels including a top leader laid down their arms on Friday in Nagaland’s Phek district.
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“Starson Lamkang, a Manipuri Naga from Lamkang tribe of NDCN (K-Yung Aung) surrendered on December 25 along with 52 other cadres,” a news agency quoted a government official as saying.
NSCN (K-YA) is the only Naga faction which has not observed a ceasefire with the security forces and is not part of the ongoing peace talks.
NSCN (K-YA), a major Naga insurgent group with Myanmar and Indian cadres led by Khaplang, abrogated the ceasefire with the Centre in 2015.
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The group since then has carried out a series of subversive activities besides extortion and recruitment of new cadres in the Northeast.
After Khaplang, Khango Konyak, an Indian Naga, became the chairman of the outfit in 2017.
There was resentment over this move and by mid-2018, Khango had been ousted and replaced by Yung Aung.
Khango Konyak moved with his supporters back to India and joined the ongoing Naga peace process, signing the ceasefire in 2019.
This opened the doors for the remaining Indian-origin leaders and cadres of the NSCN (K-YA) to also join the peace process.
Due to difficulties, the group again split in 2020 with Nyemlang Konyak, Niki Sumi and Starson with their cadres breaking away from Yung Aung in July 2020.
Nyemlang Konyak came overground in September 2020 and joined the NSCN (R).
Coordinated operations with the Mynamar Army were launched in October 2020, specifically targeting the Niki Sumi group which now had shifted their base opposite Phek district in Nagaland.
This pressure resulted in Niki Sumi, Starson and a large number of their cadres coming overground in December 2020 and expressing willingness to rejoin the peace process.
The surrender was in three phases. On September 27, 2020, Nyemlang Konyak joined the NSCN (R) as a part of the NNPGs.
Nikki Sumi surrendered on December 19, 2020, with two individuals without weapons.
Finally on December 25, as a follow-up, Starson Lamkang, along with 52 other cadres, surrendered in Phek district of Nagaland.