ITANAGAR, Oct 26: A hardcore member of the NSCN-K-YA (National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Khaplang’s Yung Aung faction) was killed during an encounter with security forces in Arunachal Pradesh’s Longding district on Saturday, officials reported.
Following specific intelligence on NSCN-K-YA militant activity, Assam Rifles launched an operation in Longding on Friday. The faction, which has not entered a ceasefire agreement with the Indian government, is active in the region. Security forces faced militant fire during the operation, leading to a fierce exchange on Saturday that resulted in the death of one NSCN-K-YA cadre. A pistol and other combat materials were seized, and additional search efforts are underway to capture the fleeing militants.
Longding district, bordering Nagaland and Myanmar, poses challenges in monitoring insurgent movement due to its rugged terrain and unfenced borders.
The Indian government has agreements with several Naga factions, including the dominant NSCN-IM faction (Isak-Muivah), though NSCN-K-YA has refrained from any such ceasefire. In 2015, the Framework Agreement was signed with NSCN-IM, followed by the Agreed Position with the Naga National Political Groups in 2017. Despite numerous negotiations, the core Naga issue remains unresolved, with NSCN-IM pushing for a separate flag, constitution, and integration of Naga areas across the Northeast and Myanmar, demands that the government has repeatedly declined.
