As many as 31 Assam Rifles jawans who had been captured by rebels in Nagaland were released on Friday after several rounds of talks between both parties.

According to reports, the jawans were from the 25 Assam Rifles battalion and were captured for unauthorized entry into Naga territory.

The incident took place at Jalukie in Nagaland’s Kohima district. The rebel outfit National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) was behind the capture of the jawans.

NSCN alleged that the Assam Rifles jawans had breached the ceasefire agreement in entering their area without authorization. The incident took place at around 2.30 pm yesterday.

Following their capture, several rounds of heated talks between both sides ensued, at the end of which the jawans were allowed to leave.

Earlier on January 18, in a joint operation with the Customs department, Assam Rifles recovered foreign cigarettes worth Rs 1.57 crore from Mizoram's Tlangsam village, an official statement said.

The operations were carried out by a combined team of Assam Rifles and the customs department Champhai based on specific information. The Assam Rifles team recovered the items which were dumped in General Area Tlangsam village and on Zokhawthar Melbuk Road, Champhai district.

As per the official statement, the seizures were made in two separate operations along the indo-Myanmar Border on January 17.

"In yet another success in its crusade against smuggling activities, the Serchipp Battalion of 23 Sector Assam Rifles under the aegis of Inspector General Assam Rifles (East), recovered 40 cases of foreign origin cigarettes worth Rs. 52 lakhs in Tlangsam village and 70 cases of foreign origin cigarettes worth Rs 1.05 Crore in Zokhawthar Melbuk in two separate operations along Indo-Myanmar Border on 17 January 2023," read the statement.

The seized consignment was handed over to Customs Department Champhai on January 17 for further legal proceedings, the statement said.