Assam Rifles has now been given the responsibility of counter-terrorism duties in the Northeast region
Assam Rifles has now been given the responsibility of counter-terrorism duties in the Northeast region
Insurgency in the North-East has reduced significantly, as witnessed by the recent repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in several parts of the region, with the Army pulling out most of its troops from Counter Insurgency (CI) duties. has been able to. Let’s revisit the Line of Actual Control (LAC) amid the standoff with China in eastern Ladakh over the past two years. Assam Rifles is now responsible for all CI duties.
There is only one Army Brigade in the entire Eastern Region now assigned with CI duties, whose mandate is spread over four districts of Assam bordering Arunachal. “The militancy has subsided and its countermeasures have also changed. This is now the view of the whole country. Now the fight is for mind-space,” said Brigadier KS Gill, commanding 73 Brigade. He added that recruitment still takes place but it has come down in the last two years.
Elaborating, he said while the space for United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) is shrinking, residual capacity still remains and the threat of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), kidnapping and extortion as “it is a threat”. Is”.
However, due to constant pressure on them and reaching out to the people for development, their operational space is decreasing, Brigadier. Gill said they continue to maintain pressure by dominating the region, investigations and “intelligence-based ethical conduct”.
Terming the removal of AFSPA from the areas of Manipur, Nagaland and Assam as a “significant achievement”, Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen RP Kalita said the act is now limited to only those areas where there are remnants of militancy. still exists.
“With public support and our continued dominance in these regions, I am confident that in the future, more such regions will reach a level of peace,” he said on the sidelines of an event in Kibithu. He said the situation is dynamic and is being monitored continuously.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is also active and is under pressure. Apart from dwindling recruitment, there has also been abandonment among cadres and differences between different factions.
In this regard, footprints of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) have been observed in Assam of late, officials at the ground level said, with inputs suggesting that the NSCN (Ky) is working with the ULFA. NSCN (KY) is active in Longding, Tirap and Changlang districts of Nagaland and hence provides a conduit for ULFA.
Among the various initiatives taken by the Army to win the hearts and minds of the people, which have attracted attention are an attempt to train in football and another to help students crack the national level entrance examinations for engineering and medicine. to provide training.
For example, ‘Captain. The Jintu Gogoi VRC Memorial Football Tournament, organized in February-March this year by the Army in coordination with the Assam Football Association and the Tinsukia District Sports Authority, was a big draw. According to Lt Col Kumar Gaurav, who was involved in organizing the tournament, it brought together 64 teams from several districts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. “It was not just a match, but a platform for budding talent to grow and get national recognition,” he said.
Captain Gogoi from Assam served in the 17 Garhwal Rifles and was posthumously awarded the Vir Chakra (VrC) for his actions during the 1999 Kargil conflict.
Commenting on the realignment, Lt Gen Kalitha said that the deployment of the Army on CI duties is determined by the security situation and the standards of violence and as the situation improves, the Army is withdrawn and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) CAPF) and the police take action. Responsible for ensuring peace and stability.
“Even in the Northeast, with the situation improving, the Army has been disengaged and ready to look at the primary role,” he cautioned, adding that despite being employed for CI Ops, the units were always ready for the traditional role. Lives. all the time.
“We have a large border with three neighboring countries, each with its own unique dynamics. Therefore, our units and troops are always prepared, trained and equipped for diverse tasks and multiple threat scenarios,” said Lt Gen Kalita. “It’s a year-long exercise.”
In line with the overall reorientation towards the LAC undertaken by the Army since the May 2020 standoff, around two divisions of troops have been removed from CI duties and redeployed along the LAC. Out of the 3,488 km long LAC, 1,346 km falls in the eastern region.