India on alert after Bangladeshi troop build-up
India on alert after Bangladeshi troop build-up
GUWAHATI, India (Agencies): Indian frontier guards were on high alert on Tuesday, following what senior officers described as a major overnight build-up of Bangladeshi troops along the border.
"There has been a massive build-up of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) soldiers and heavy movement of regular Bangladesh Army along the borders with Assam, Tripura and Mizoram states, and they were seen patrolling at night," said Arvind Ranjan, inspector general of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF).
"The situation is tense and worrying," Ranjan told AFP by telephone from the Tripura state capital Agartala. Ranjan is the chief of BSF operations in Tripura, Mizoram and part of the Assam sector.
Earlier on Tuesday, Indian and Bangladesh border commanders met to reduce tension after accusations of a fresh buildup of troops and weapons following last week's fighting that left 19 soldiers dead.
Bangladesh said it was recruiting more border forces, but denied any buildup on the frontier.
"The talks between officials of the two sides were held in an amicable manner. The tension has been diffused," said an official of the Indian BSF on condition of anonymity.
The Indians asked the Bangladeshis to reduce the number of soldiers in nighttime patrols and notify the nearest Indian border post of nighttime activity. The Bangladesh commanders "verbally agreed to create a conducive atmosphere along the border," said the Indian official.
Skirmishes along the normally peaceful border last week claimed the lives of 19 frontier guards on both sides, including BSF personnel.
India blamed the clashes on "criminal adventurism" by the BDR, saying its units had operated independently of the Bangladeshi government.
"We have sounded a high alert and have placed senior officers all along the sensitive border posts to prevent any escalation and flare-up," Ranjan said, adding that Bangladeshi troops had intruded into the Cachar sector of Assam on Sunday night but been pushed back.
Indian intelligence officials said regular Bangladeshi army soldiers drawn from a mechanized infantry division were spotted taking positions along border posts in Meghalaya and Tripura.
"We gave a strong note to the BDR commanders and wanted an assurance that they stop carrying out provocative night patrolling," said BSF deputy inspector general S. Basumatary.
"The BDR commanders verbally assured us they would not carry out night patrols without prior intimation, and would stop the recent practice of having the patrol comprising of 15 to 20 men rather than the usual practice of five to 10 soldiers," he added.