After months of internal tensions in East Pakistan (current day Bangladesh) leading up to the 1971 Bangladesh genocide, and a clampdown on Bengali nationalists, many independence fighters had organised themselves into a guerilla army. Called the Mukti Bahini, these rebels were aided by India in their struggle. After initial success over Pakistani troops there had been some relative calm in the region and further Indian assistance was sought to turn the tide. Economically burdened by close to 10 Million Bangladeshi refugees, India thus started to involve itself deeper into the conflict brewing in the east and stationed its troops near the border.