A peace accord known as the “Mizoram Accord” was signed between the Government of India and the MNF. As per the accord, Mizoram was granted statehood on February 20, 1987, and the MNF agreed to lay down arms and participate in the democratic process. Outraged by this, the MNF leadership decided to launch ‘ Operation Jericho’ to take control of Aizawl and overran Aizawl in a few days’ time (in late February).

News that Raymond Vivant had been captured was smuggled out of Amiens prison and transmitted to England. The US Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) feared the Germans might uncover his identity and extract information from him; the damage to Allied plans would be incalculable. News also arrived that two American spies and a British agent were in Amiens prison, two of them apparently recent arrivals in France. A request for a rescue attempt was made by William J. Donovan, the head of OSS to Stewart Menzies, the head of MI6, which was passed on to the War Cabinet. The Gaullist Bureau Central de Renseignements et d'Action (BCRA) in London was asked for all its information on Amiens prison and the escape and evasion specialists of MI9 and MISX, the US equivalent, began collecting information for a breakout attempt. At all costs, London and Washington wanted Raymond Vivant freed or killed in the attempt. [5] Amiens prison [ edit ]

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Lyman, Robert (2014). The Jail Busters: The Secret Story of MI6, the French Resistance and Operation Jericho, 1944. London: Quercus. ISBN 978-1-78206-536-4.

The operations on the ground faced stiff resistance from the rebels, taking several days to reach Aizawl.a b c d e f Parry, Simon (February 2019). "75th Anniversary Amiens Raid". Wingleader Magazine . Retrieved 15 January 2022. No one had imagined that the Union government would bomb its own territory. “It took us by surprise that the government had the courage to deploy jet fighters to bomb Aizawl that it dared not fly inside China or Pakistan,” said Remruata, a village council member. “Well, charity begins at home.” Operation Jericho aimed to seize control of Aizawl, resulting in its successful occupation in late February. This is the story of Operation Jericho, the spectacular prison break staged by an elite group of British, Australian and New Zealand bomber pilots, who flew a daring low-level mission to blow holes in the walls of Amiens jail and free French Resistance prisoners under the sentence of death during World War II.

Operation Red Jericho (September 5, 2005) is the first novel in The Guild of Specialists trilogy by Joshua Mowll. A team of nine resistance members, including at least one prostitute, raided several stores, led by a professional thief called Violette Lambert … at least that was one of her names. Many of her team were also professional criminals, the women with bags carried under their clothing to receive their loot. The men carried overcoats over their arms, the sleeves sewed closed for their booty. The stolen attire was meant to clothe the escapers, and the team of thieves stole so many articles that some had to return to their cars to unload and return for more. At last Violette saw one of her team being closely observed and shouted, “My bag’s been stolen,” and the man slipped away in the confusion. Two days after the raid, a low-level reconnaissance photo reveals extensive damage to Amiens Prison. The Operation Jericho raid to free prisoners from the Germans blasted a breach in the north wall of the facility, which is visible at the center of the image. March 5 marks the 50th anniversary of the bombing of Aizawl – the first air raid by the Indian Air Force on civilian territory within the country. This is as good a time as any to go beyond just questioning the morality of the bombing, or the complexities that led to it. It’s time to understand its legacy. The bombing may have managed to crush the Mizo uprising but it also helped usher in two more decades of insurgency. Following the bombing, the Union government implemented what it termed the “regrouping of villages” in which thousands of Mizos deep in the hills and hamlets of what is now Mizoram were forcefully displaced – their homes and villages burned – and relocated in centres along an arterial highway under armed guard ostensibly so that the Indian state could keep an eye on them. Caldwell, Donald L. (1998). JG 26 War Diary: 1943–1945. Vol.II. London: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-898697-86-2.

Ward, Chris (2007). 5 Group Bomber Command: an operational record. Pen & Sword Aviation. ISBN 978-1-84415-579-8. OCLC 475213900. April 29, 1966: The MNFF transformed into the Mizo National Front (MNF) under Laldenga’s leadership. Its objective shifted from famine relief to achieving Mizo self-determination and secession from India. The IAF’s initial role was to re-supply the army installations, for which Dakotas and Caribou transport aircraft were pressed in from Guwahati and Jorhat. Upon publication, Operation Red Jericho won the prestigious Poppy Red Award for Innovation in Children's Books at the British Book Trade Awards, (2006).

Squadron History". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 13 August 2017 . Retrieved 11 August 2017.Ward, Chris; Smith, Steve (2008). 3 Group Bomber Command. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Books Limited. Bowman, Martin (2014) [2011]. The Mosquito Story. Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press. ISBN 9780752485294. Operation Jericho stands as a remarkable chapter in India’s history, showcasing the indomitable spirit of the Indian Air Force and the nation’s commitment to preserving its unity. This operation, initiated during a tumultuous period in Mizoram’s history, witnessed the MNF’s audacious insurgency and the swift, calculated response by the Indian government. The coordinated efforts of ground forces and the Indian Air Force, marked by daring air missions and precision airstrikes, led to the restoration of peace in Mizoram. Subsequent constitutional changes and the Mizoram Peace Accord paved the way for the region’s transformation into a peaceful and recognized Indian state, marking a triumph over insurgency and a beacon of hope for lasting peace.