Former Army chief lauds PM Modi for approving surgical strikes

Former Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag on Friday said that it was very bold decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to approve 2015, 2016 surgical strikes in Myanmar and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) respectively.

Talking to reporters here, General (retd.) Suhag said, "Both strikes were very successful, without any casualties to our ppl. It was bold decision of Prime Minister Modi to approve surgical strikes."

He said the surgical strikes acted as a deterrent and upped India's image nationally and internationally.

"The impact of such strikes is deterrence and in last one year we have not had any major incident. With these surgical strikes, national pride as well as image of the nation, nationally & internationally, has gone up manifold," former Army Chief said.

Indian Army on June 10, 2015 conducted surgical strikes against Naga terrorist camps along the Indo-Myanmar international border, and destroyed two Militant camps one each of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) (NSCN-K) and Kanglei Yawol Kunna Lup (KYKL).

India retaliated as on June 4, 2015, NSCN-K ambushed an Indian Army convoy of 6 Dogra Regiment in Chandel district of Manipur and killed 18 Army jawans.

The second surgical strike was India's response to the 2016 Uri attack. On September 18, 2016, four Pakistani terrorists had attacked the Indian army at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, and killed 19 soldiers.

On September 29, 2016, Indian Army conducted surgical strike across Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and destroyed terrorist launch pads and killed many terrorists.

General (retd.) Suhag was the Army Chief when the Army conducted these two surgical strikes.

On Wednesday, Indian Army once again targeted Naga insurgent group NSCN-K along India-Myanmar border after an Indian Army's column was attacked by unidentified insurgents while they were operating along Indo-Myanmar border.

"Heavy casualties reportedly inflicted on NSCN(K) cadre. No casualties suffered by Indian Security Forces," Eastern Command of Indian Army tweeted.

The "firefight" started at around 4.45 a.m. and lasted for a couple of hours. Confirming the report, the Eastern Command of the Indian Army said none of its personnel were hurt in the operation, contradicting reports that had suggested otherwise.