NDTV: Air Strikes or Special Forces: How the Myanmar Attack was Meticulously Planned
All India | Reported by Sudhi Ranjan Sen, Edited by Anindita Sanyal | Updated: June 11, 2015
This photo released to the media by the Indian Army shows the operations inside Myanmar
NEW DELHI: Action within 72 hours - that was what the political leadership had suggested to the Army to liquidate the militant camps across Myanmar. And one of the ways considered to achieve it was the use of Sukhoi and MIG 29 fighter jets, top sources told NDTV.
The first plan had to be dropped because of logistical problems. The second - due to the possibility of huge collateral damage, the sources said.
But action was imperative. Retaliatory strikes had to be taken against militants who ambushed an Army convoy last week killing 18 army men, the heaviest casualty the Army has seen in two decades.
Two militant camps were zeroed on, an officer said. The first one was in Onjha - a few km from Chashad on India-Myanmar border in Manipur - which housed a medley of militants. The more important one was in Ponyu in Myanmar - a few kilometres from the Nagaland border - which housed the militants of NSCN(K), that played a key role in the Manipur attack.
Cancelling a visit to Bangladesh with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval headed for Manipur. So did Army chief Dalbir Singh Suhag, who was to visit the UK.
The two men suggested a surgical attack by 21 Para (Special Forces), a top official in the security infrastructure told NDTV.
The 21 Para (Special Forces) which were selected to carry out the strike, are an elite corps. They train at night and are trained for combat firing, reflex shooting, underwater diving, handling of explosives, free falls, para jumping and deprivation exercises - which means doing all this without food and water for long stretches. Their main weapon -- Israeli-made Tavor Rifles.
The strike was planned for Monday but had to be postponed by a day to get clearance from the Prime Minister, sources said.
Meticulous planning several days; the operation lasted around 45 minutes.
A little after midnight on Tuesday, around 80 Special Forces troops were dropped a little ahead of the border by Dhruv helicopters, from where they stealthily made their way through the dense forests of Myanmar to the Ponyu and Ojia camps.
They smashed the camps - which were said to house nearly 150 militants. After the operation, they walked back to the pick-up point, from where they were evacuated by helicopters.
Why India did not keep Myanmar in loop
TNN | Jun 11, 2015, 07.03 AM IST
It was a bold operation by Indian Army to avenge Manipur attack.
NEW DELHI: There's deep distrust of the Myanmar Army in the Indian security establishment when it comes to operations against NSCN(K) because of the Naga rebel group's close ties with the security establishment in Myanmar.
The NSCN(K) is led by S S Khaplang, a Myanmar citizen who operates mostly from the Taga region of that country. A couple of years ago, the insurgent group signed a ceasefire agreement with the Myanmar army.
The agreement provides NSCN(K) a significant amount of free movement within Myanmar and into India through the porous border. What adds further to suspicion of the Myanmar army is that insurgent groups, now operating under the NSCN(K) umbrella, have been providing "protection" money to Myanmar military's middle and lower functionaries. Several militant groups such as Paresh Barua's ULFA(I), Kamtapur Liberation Organization and NDFB have also been operating under Khaplang's overall guidance. These groups pay "protection" money to the Myanmar Army for facilitating free movement across the border.
"It is not so much the NSCN(K) but other groups that have been paying the Myanmar Army. The relationship is very cosy," a senior source said explaining why Indian agencies are wary of the Myanmar army. This also explains why India did not alert Myanmar before carrying out the hot pursuit of terrorists who had killed 18 soldiers at Chandel last week. "Information could have leaked. The fallout of any such leak could've been disastrous," he explained.
One reason why a few dozen Indian soldiers could go up to 5km into Myanmar, and carry out the operations without a single casualty is seen as a huge achievement by army sources. "It was only possible because of the complete secrecy," one of them said.