India seeks Bhutan's help to tackle NDFB, assured support

India has sought Bhutan's assistance to tackle militant outfit NDFB(S) that carried out the massacre of over 70 tribals amid reports that the banned group has set up bases in the dense forests along the Indo- Bhutan border.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj spoke to Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay seeking action against the terror group and was "assured of support".
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said Swaraj was also trying to seek help of other "friendly neighbouring" countries to tackle the scourge of terrorism which India sees as a "national endevour".
"The External Affairs Minister has talked to the Bhutanese leadership at the highest level. We are also working on having others who could possibly help in this," the spokesperson said, adding, "this issue came up following possible leads which indicated that there may be others beyond Indian borders where we require assistance."

The death toll in the carnage by the NDFB(S) and retaliatory violence by tribals has risen to 81.
Swaraj talked to Tobgay last evening after Home Minister Rajnath Singh requested her to seek assistance from Bhutan to tackle the banned militant group. Singh had yesterday said that the government would adopt "zero-tolerance policy towards acts of terror".

"This issue came up following possible leads which indicated that there may be others beyond Indian borders where we require assistance," Akbaruddin said.
In 2003-04, Bhutan had carried out a massive operation against ULFA militants and completely wiped out its bases from that country.

According to security agencies, whenever they carry out offensives against the militant outfit, they often sneak into the Bhutanese territory making it difficult to track them down.
India has also been asking Myanmar also to take action against northeast militant groups which often sneak into that country after carrying out attacks.