: Amid the hostile situation on its southern front withMizoram,Assamsigned an agreement on Saturday withNagalandto end the standoff on its eastern front, both agreeing to withdraw each others police forces and instead use UAVs and satellite imagery to keep a watch on incursions across the disputed boundary between the states and maintain the status quo.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Nagaland deputy CM Y Patton and Assam Education minister Ranoj Pegu. Thesuperintendents of Police of thedistricts of Mokokchung (Nagaland) and Jorhat (Assam) shall ensure orderly withdrawal of their respective forces and shall be responsible for it in the instant case.

Assam and Nagaland share a 434-km border. The boundary dispute between the two states is more than six decades old and has been marked by frequent skirmishes. In the last major clash, in 1985 at Merapani, 41 people, including 28 Assam policemen, were killed. There have been several attempts by the Centre to resolve the issue.