Assam Rifles jawans injured as result of extra caution by forces after death of civilians in December ambush: Official

The extra cautious approach of security forces after last year's incident in Nagaland in which 13 civilians died, would have led to two jawans being injured in Monday's gunfight with militants there, a top official said.

Two jawans of the Assam Rifles were injured in a gunfight with militants of NSCN-K (Yung Aung) in Nagaland's Mon district in the early hours of Monday.

"In normal circumstances, under status of extra security threat like the Independence Day and Republic Day, any movement by night is not permitted in border areas," the official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

However, with the background of Nagaland incident of December 2021, security forces had to be extra cautious of not opening fire on innocent civilians, the official said.

"Resultantly, in today's incident, the militants had the initiative and opened fire first which would have led to the infliction of casualties on security forces," the official added.

Thirteen civilians were killed in an ambush laid for militants as a result of mistaken identity, on December 4, 2021 in Oting-Tiru area in Mon district in Nagaland.

Nagaland Police charge-sheeted at least 30 members of the 21 Para Special Force, including an officer in the rank of a Major, in the incident.

Monday's incident happened at 2.35 am in Nyasa village in Phomching area after security personnel noticed suspicious movement on a jungle track between Zankham to Nyasa. On being intercepted, the militants opened fire in which two Assam Rifles jawans sustained injuries.

The condition of the jawans is stable, the official said.

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