Itanagar, June 6 (IANS) An encounter took place between the militants and the security forces in Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering Myanmar, officials said.

A defence spokesman said late Thursday night that upon receiving specific information about the movement of cadres of an unidentified militant outfit in the Pongchau Circle areas of Arunachal Pradesh’s Longding district along the India-Myanmar border, security forces launched a patrol to dominate the border areas earlier in the day.

While moving through the thick forests, the security forces observed the movement of unknown individuals and challenged them.

“In response, the security forces faced heavy and indiscriminate fire from heavy-calibre weapons, which was effectively retaliated by the security forces,” the spokesman added.

He said that during the intense firefight, the unknown cadres withdrew across the International Border towards Myanmar.

The area was thoroughly searched by the security forces, however, the cadres of the unknown militant outfit had managed to cross the border taking cover of the dense surrounding forest, the spokesman added.

Meanwhile, on May 14, 10 militants were killed during an encounter with the Assam Rifles in southern Manipur’s Chandel district, which shares the border with Myanmar.

A defence spokesman, giving details of the May 14 encounter, had said that a patrol of the Assam Rifles was fired upon heavily by suspected cadres near New Samtal village, along the Myanmar border, in Chandel district.

Demonstrating exceptional composure and combat readiness, the troopers responded in a precise, measured and calibrated manner, and the operation resulted in the neutralisation of 10 individuals in camouflage fatigues, the spokesman said.

Preliminary assessments suggest that the neutralised individuals were known for involvement in cross-border insurgent activity, and efforts are underway to confirm their identities, he added.

A thorough combing operation of the area was carried out, wherein a significant cache of weapons and other material was recovered from the New Samtal village, which is 130 km from the state capital and has scant human habitation.

The cache comprised seven AK-47 rifles, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, a M4 rifle, and four single-barrel breech-loading rifles, ammunition and other war-like stores.

The situation along the India-Myanmar border remains under heightened surveillance, the spokesman had said, adding that the security forces are maintaining a robust posture and are in coordination with the civil administration and intelligence agencies to ensure peace and stability in the region.

Four northeastern states – Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Manipur (398 km), Nagaland (215 km) and Mizoram (510 km) — share 1,643-km unfenced border with Myanmar.

–IANS

sc/khz