A senior defense officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the soldiers promptly retaliated, forcing the militants to flee the scene. A search operation is currently underway to locate the assailants.

The attack took place at approximately 9:30 am on Thursday when 20 Assam Rifles soldiers were en route from the company's operating base in Saibol as part of their regular patrolling duties. The militants strategically planted a low-intensity IED, employing small firearms during the assault, as reported by Hindustan Times.

This incident follows a recent security offensive, during which at least 200 Assam Rifles personnel were airlifted to Moreh town in Manipur. The deployment aimed to counter militants, particularly those suspected of infiltrating from Myanmar and believed to be involved in recent attacks, including the fatal assault on a senior police officer.

A senior officer, familiar with the matter and requesting anonymity, explained that the additional personnel were involved in identifying and neutralizing militants hiding in Moreh town or potentially crossing into India from the Indo-Myanmar border. The Assam Rifles is collaborating with other agencies in these counter-terrorism operations.