Shootout between Assam Rifles, NSCN in Nagaland

Mon (Nagaland), Aug 19 (IANS) Heavy exchange of fire took place on Friday between Assam Rifles and banned terrorist outfit NSCN (Khaplang) after the soldiers allegedly raided some of the villages along the Indo-Myanmar border.

According to the state police, the incident took place at about 4 a.m. near Chenmoho in Mon district which shares its eastern border with Myanmar.

"There was heavy exchange of fire between NSCN (Khaplang) cadres and Assam Rifles soldiers. The incident was reported early in the morning. As of now, no casualties have been reported," Yangba Konyak, Superintendent of Police, Mon, told IANS.

Sources said senior government officials have reached the spot to take stock of the incident.

National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) is a banned militant outfit which last March abrogated a 14-year-old ceasefire with the central government.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is looking for the chief of NSCN (Khaplang) as well as its military commander in connection with the killing of 18 armymen by the outfit on June 4, 2015.

The NIA has announced Rs seven lakh reward for any information leading to the arrest of the outfit's chairman S.S. Khaplang and Rs 10 lakh for Niki Sumi, who heads the military wing of NSCN (Khaplang).