Army, IAF fly 39 Myanmarese soldiers home from Mizoram

GUWAHATI: The Army and IAF successfully ensured the safe return of 39 Myanmarese military personnel who had crossed the international border and sought refuge in Mizoram on Monday after fleeing rebel resistance groups in the northern territories of their country.

These personnel were flown in batches on Tuesday from Hnahlan village in Mizoram's Champhai district to Moreh in Manipur, avoiding the need for IAF helicopters to cross into Myanmar airspace.



"Yesterday evening, the PDF (People's Defense Armed Forces, the armed wing of the National Unity Government in Myanmar) captured two Myanmar army posts along the Indo-Myanmar border at two villages - Khawmawi and Rihkhawdar. As a result, the Myanmar army started taking shelter towards Mizoram," Mizoram IGP (headquarters) Lalbiakthanga Khiangte said.

The Myanmar army personnel, accompanied by approximately 5,000 Myanmarese civilians, had surrendered to Mizoram police at Zokhawthar in Champhai district. Following instructions from the Union home ministry, Mizoram police handed them over to Assam Rifles. The civilians are in camps set up in two Mizoram villages along the border.




Three more Myanmar army personnel were captured by Mizoram police on Tuesday, with one being wounded and receiving treatment at Champhai hospital. Police have turned in the trio to Assam Rifles, the IGP said. They are expected to be repatriated to Myanmar in the coming days.

About the airlift, a defence source revealed that two IAF helicopters conducted four sorties to transport the 39 soldiers to Moreh, the border town 110km south of Imphal. Moreh serves as the official land trade route between India and Myanmar. From there, they crossed the international border to Tamu, which is across Moreh, on the Myanmar side.