29 more Myanmarese soldiers take shelter in India

At least 29 more Myanmarese soldiers crossed over to Mizoram on Thursday after their camp in the neighbouring country was overrun by an anti-junta group, a senior police officer said.

With them, a total of 74 Myanmar military personnel had fled to Mizoram due to the recent gunfights with the People's Defence Force.

Several of these soldiers, however, had been sent back.

"Twenty-nine more soldiers today approached the police and Assam Rifles at Saikhumphai in Champhai district near Tiau river, which acts as the border between India and Myanmar," Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Lalbiakthanga Khiangte told PTI.

They fled their camp at Tuibual in Chin state, a few kilometres from the international border.

An Assam Rifles official said these 29 Myanmarese soldiers are yet to be sent back to their country.

A total of 45 soldiers, who had fled to Mizoram after the PDF overran two military bases in the neighbouring country's Chin state, were handed over to Myanmar's military government on Tuesday, an official said.

India on Thursday called for cessation of fighting between Myanmar's military and anti-junta groups near the international border that has triggered an influx of Myanmarese people to Mizoram.

Myanmar has been witnessing widespread protests demanding restoration of democracy since the military seized power in a coup in February 2021.

Myanmar's military has been using airstrikes against its opponents and those involved in the armed struggle against the ruling regime.

Myanmar is one of India's strategic neighbours and shares a 1,640-kilometre border with a number of northeastern states, including militancy-hit Nagaland and Manipur.

More than 31,000 Myanmar nationals have taken shelter in Mizoram since February 2021 after the Myanmar military junta staged a coup in the neighbouring country.