NEW DELHI: India has granted the army shoot-to-kill powers to fight militants in a wide swathe of the far-flung northeastern state of Arunchal Pradesh, bordering Tibet and claimed by China.
The army was already exercising “special powers” in other northeastern states, where various separatist, leftist and tribal rebels are waging insurgencies, but Arunachal Pradesh has been relatively peaceful until recently.
Last month, three soldiers were killed in an ambush in the state that the army blamed on militants from the Naga tribe. Rebel groups have set up camps across the state, the home ministry said in its “special powers” order, and use it as a base to launch attacks in the neighbouring state of Assam, which has been hardest hit by an upsurge in militancy in the region.
Citizens from the rest of India require a permit to visit Arunchal Pradesh, which is the size of Austria, and heavily militarized along parts of border with China.
China has not responded to the new measure, but Beijing has become increasingly vocal in recent years about India’s control of the region it calls South Tibet……..
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Image: REUTERS/Frank Jack Daniel