Army expected to launch counter-insurgency operations in Manipur

Reports said on Friday that  Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh is on his way to  Imphal.

Media reports said about  50 militants carried out the attack in Chandel district  and used US-made rocket launchers on the army commandos of 6 Dogra Infantry Regiment travelling in two trucks.

The militants also used an improvised explosive device.

The army has been conducting search operations to trace and eliminate the militants involved in the attack in Chandel, which is close to the Myanmar border.

The bodies of the soldiers  will be flown back to their hometowns, mostly in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

High level meetings were held in Delhi following the incident as  Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was briefed by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the Army Chief on Thursday night.

Parrikar also met Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Myanmar-based rebels are suspected to be launching pad for this attack, media reports said.

A coalition of insurgent groups led by the NSCN-K (Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland) under the name  United Nationalist Liberation Front of West South-East Asia has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The NSCN-K had recently walked out of a 15-year old ceasefire agreement with the Centre.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted on Thursday, "Today's mindless attack in Manipur is very distressing. I bow to each and every soldier who has sacrificed his life for the Nation."

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has ordered the strongest possible action against those involved in the ambush.