GUWAHATI: The Indian Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully ensured the safe return of 39 Myanmar Army personnel who had sought refuge in Mizoram after fleeing rebel resistance groups. The personnel were flown to Moreh in Manipur on Tuesday.
According to reports, two IAF helicopters conducted four sorties from Hnahlan village in Mizoram's Champhai district to Moreh, situated along the India-Myanmar border in Manipur. The evacuation operation, spanning from 9 AM, involved transporting the Myanmar Army personnel in batches.
The coordination between the Indian Army and the IAF allowed for the safe repatriation without the need for IAF helicopters to enter Myanmar airspace. The 39 soldiers were transported to Moreh, approximately 300 km north by land, where they crossed the international border to Tamu on the Myanmar side through established border protocols, reports stated.
The land port at Moreh serves as a crucial trade route, being the only official land passage between India and Myanmar, facilitating trade with other South East Asian countries.
Earlier, the 39 Myanmar Army personnel, along with around 5,000 Myanmar civilians, had entered Mizoram, seeking refuge. Following their arrival, they surrendered to the Mizoram Police at Zokhawthar in Champhai district. Subsequently, instructions were received from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to hand them over to the Assam Rifles.