Imphal, Nov 28 || A fierce encounter between the Assam Rifles and militants broke out along Manipur’s India-Myanmar border areas on Friday, and the operation is still underway, officials said.
A defence spokesperson and a police official said separately that a patrolling party of the Assam Rifles came under fire from terrorists along the border areas on Friday morning.
The troops retaliated immediately with controlled and cautious fire to ensure civilian safety, the defence spokesperson added, noting that additional forces have been deployed to the area and the operation is currently in progress. Further details are awaited.
Manipur shares a 398 km unfenced border with Myanmar, making the frontier highly vulnerable to trans-border movement of militants, inimical elements, and large-scale drug smuggling.
Meanwhile, the security forces in separate joint operations have arrested six people, including five militants belonging to a proscribed outfit, who were allegedly involved in extortion from Imphal East and Imphal West districts.