At least 29 soldiers from the Myanmar military entered India on Thursday, fleeing an attack by rebel groups on their military bases close to the country’s border with India, an Indian police official said.
Earlier this week, 43 Myanmar soldiers entered the Indian state of Mizoram after their military bases were overrun by insurgents. However, nearly 40 of them were sent back by Indian authorities, through a different border crossing point a few hundred kilometres east.
Rising Attacks on Military
Although the Tatmadaw, or Myanmar Army, has been battling ethnic minorities and other insurgencies for decades, the February 2021 coup has brought unprecedented coordination between anti-military forces, which have ramped up the challenges being faced by the military.
Junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun said late on Wednesday the military was facing “heavy assaults from a significant number of armed rebel soldiers” in Shan State in the northeast, Kayah State in the east, and Rakhine State in the west.
He added that some military positions had been evacuated and that the insurgents had been using drones to drop hundreds of bombs on military posts.
“We are urgently taking measures to protect against drone bomb attacks effectively,” the junta spokesperson said.
#FPWorld: At least 29 more #Myanmar soldiers entered India on Thursday fleeing an attack by insurgents on their military base close to the Indian border, an Indian police official said, as rebels step up their assaults against the ruling junta.
— Firstpost (@firstpost) November 16, 2023
https://t.co/zbIbmgj8xC
Military’s Response
To deal with this situation, the country’s military rulers have ordered all government officials and those with military experience to prepare to serve in case of an emergency, Tin Maung Swe, secretary of an administrative council in Naypyidaw said on Thursday.
“If necessary, such a unit might be required to go out and serve for natural disasters, and security,” the military council said in an order.
India’s Response
Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for India’s foreign ministry, said on Thursday that New Delhi was “deeply concerned” about the situation along the border.
Bagchi confirmed that “a large number” of Myanmar nationals have sought refuge in India since February 2021, but did not provide official figures for the same.
“We are deeply concerned with such incidents close to our border. Our position on the ongoing situation in Myanmar is very clear. We want cessation of the violence and resolution of the situation through constructive dialogue. We reiterate our call for return of peace, stability, and democracy in Myanmar,” the spokesperson underscored.
He added that “neighbouring states have been handling the situation appropriately on humanitarian grounds” and New Delhi was also “facilitating the return of those who wish to go back” to Myanmar.