Indian army launches hunt for militants after 20 soldiers killed

GUWAHATI, India (Reuters) - India's army launched an operation in the northeastern state of Manipur on Friday to hunt tribal separatist guerrillas who killed at least 20 soldiers in the deadliest attack on security forces in the state in more than two decades.

The operation involves hundreds of soldiers on foot with the support of helicopters in the remote mountainous forests close to the border with Myanmar, where insurgents are demanding autonomy for their tribal groups or independence, army and intelligence officers told Reuters.The central government asked the army to "trace and eliminate the insurgents" involved in the attack, a military commander said, asking not to be identified because he is not authorised to speak to the media.