Shimray named NSCN (IM) military chief
Source: The Sangai Express / Courtesy Hindustan Times

Gauhati, November 30 2017: A Naga extremist leader charge-sheeted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) seven years ago for gunrunning, has been made the military chief of the Isak-Muivah faction of National Socialist Council of Nagaland that has been on ceasefire mode since July 1997 .

The NSCN-IM had late Tuesday evening said 'Lieutenant General' Anthony Ningkhan Shimray has been made the 'longvibu' or commander-in-chief of the Naga army.

The outfit's vice-president Kholi announced this via an 'order' .

Shimray, a 56-year-old Tangkhul Naga from Manipur's Ukhrul district, replaces Phungthing Shimrang, who was formerly the convenor of the ceasefire monitoring cell.

The NSCN-IM did not specify the removal of Shimrang, also a Tangkhul from Manipur .

The outfit's general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah belongs to the same tribe too .

Expected to take charge within a week, Shimray has been the head of NSCN-IM's foreign affairs.

He was arrested in Nepal's Kathmandu in September 2010 for allegedly negotiating an arms deal with a Chinese company, and lodged in New Delhi's Tihar jail on charges of gunrunning and trying to wage war against India .

On 4 August 2016, a special Court of NIA released Shimray on bail in interest of the peace negotiation between the Indian Government and the NSCN-IM and six other Naga extremist groups.

RN Ravi, the Centre's interlocutor in the Naga peace talks, played a key role in securing bail for Shimray .

A spokesperson of NSCN-IM said Shimray is an easy-going person, is a post-graduate and has the kind of communication skills that helped the outfit garner global support during the days of conflict with New Delhi .

Shimray's military exploits include commanding the Naga rebels in their hideout in Bangladesh three decades ago .

The NSCN-IM which is active in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland, is believed to have cadre strength of more than 5,000.It signed a Framework Agreement with the Narendra Modi Government in 2015, but the contents of this peace deal have not been revealed yet.

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