India on alert after Bangladeshi troop build-up<\/p>\n
GUWAHATI, India (Agencies): Indian frontier guards were on
\nhigh alert on Tuesday, following what senior officers described
\nas a major overnight build-up of Bangladeshi troops along the
\nborder.<\/p>\n
\"There has been a massive build-up of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR)
\nsoldiers and heavy movement of regular Bangladesh Army along the
\nborders with Assam, Tripura and Mizoram states, and they were
\nseen patrolling at night,\" said Arvind Ranjan, inspector general
\nof the Indian Border Security Force (BSF).<\/p>\n
\"The situation is tense and worrying,\" Ranjan told AFP by
\ntelephone from the Tripura state capital Agartala. Ranjan is the
\nchief of BSF operations in Tripura, Mizoram and part of the Assam
\nsector.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Tuesday, Indian and Bangladesh border commanders
\nmet to reduce tension after accusations of a fresh buildup of
\ntroops and weapons following last week's fighting that left 19
\nsoldiers dead.<\/p>\n
Bangladesh said it was recruiting more border forces, but
\ndenied any buildup on the frontier.<\/p>\n
\"The talks between officials of the two sides were held in an
\namicable manner. The tension has been diffused,\" said an official
\nof the Indian BSF on condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n
The Indians asked the Bangladeshis to reduce the number of
\nsoldiers in nighttime patrols and notify the nearest Indian
\nborder post of nighttime activity. The Bangladesh commanders
\n\"verbally agreed to create a conducive atmosphere along the
\nborder,\" said the Indian official.<\/p>\n
Skirmishes along the normally peaceful border last week
\nclaimed the lives of 19 frontier guards on both sides, including
\nBSF personnel.<\/p>\n
India blamed the clashes on \"criminal adventurism\" by the BDR,
\nsaying its units had operated independently of the Bangladeshi
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
\"We have sounded a high alert and have placed senior officers
\nall along the sensitive border posts to prevent any escalation
\nand flare-up,\" Ranjan said, adding that Bangladeshi troops had
\nintruded into the Cachar sector of Assam on Sunday night but been
\npushed back.<\/p>\n
Indian intelligence officials said regular Bangladeshi army
\nsoldiers drawn from a mechanized infantry division were spotted
\ntaking positions along border posts in Meghalaya and Tripura.<\/p>\n
\"We gave a strong note to the BDR commanders and wanted an
\nassurance that they stop carrying out provocative night
\npatrolling,\" said BSF deputy inspector general S. Basumatary.<\/p>\n
\"The BDR commanders verbally assured us they would not carry
\nout night patrols without prior intimation, and would stop the
\nrecent practice of having the patrol comprising of 15 to 20 men
\nrather than the usual practice of five to 10 soldiers,\" he added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/india-on-alert-after-bangladeshi-troop-build-up-1447893297",
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