Fresh Naga-Kuki Clashes in Manipur's Kamjong Leave Over 30 Houses Gutted
Retaliatory attacks near the India-Myanmar border trigger fresh ethnic violence as security forces step up operations to restore order.
Fresh violence erupted in Manipur's Kamjong district overnight as armed clashes between Naga and Kuki groups left more than 30 houses gutted across several villages near the India-Myanmar border.
Police said the violence began on Wednesday morning when armed men allegedly attacked a Naga village from a neighbouring Kuki village in the Sahamphung police station area, setting at least 10 houses on fire.
The situation escalated later in the day as suspected militants and armed village volunteers allegedly carried out retaliatory attacks on nearby villages.
Phaimol, a Kuki-Zo village, was among the worst affected, with nearly all 20 houses in the village reportedly reduced to ashes, forcing residents to flee. In an apparent retaliatory attack, armed groups targeted Naga villages, including Shangkalok, Kongkan Thana and Huimine Thana, as well as nearby areas, where additional houses and structures, including some refugee camps, were set ablaze.
Security sources said at least 12 more houses belonging to the Naga community were torched in the subsequent violence. Security forces were rushed to the affected areas and launched area domination operations to restore normalcy.
Officials said the situation remains tense but is under control. Additional security personnel have been deployed to prevent any further escalation. No casualties had been officially reported at the time of filing this report.
Kuki Inpi Manipur alleged that the attacks on Phaimol and other Kuki areas were carried out by cadres of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) along with the Myanmar-based Shanni Nationalities Army. Naga groups, however, accused cadres of the Kuki National Army-Burma and armed village volunteers of initiating the violence.
The latest clashes come amid heightened tensions between the Naga and Kuki communities following the killing of six Naga civilians whose bodies were recovered in Kangpokpi district on June 11 after they were allegedly abducted on May 13. The killings triggered widespread protests, counter-economic blockades and renewed hostility between the two communities.
The fresh violence is also believed to be linked to recent disputes over the movement of essential commodity convoys to Kuki-inhabited areas and demonstrations by various organisations.