Armed Militants Attack Border Villages In Manipur's Kamjong District, Residents Flee

Guwahati: Tension prevailed along India-Myanmar area in Kamjong district of Manipur on Thursday after a gang of armed militants attacked the border villages forcing hundreds of villagers top flee their homes in the early hours. One of the villagers was reported missing.

Police said that the militants attacked the Tangkhul Naga villages of Namlee, Wanglee and Choro within Kasom Khullen police station area around 4 am, forcing residents of the border settlements to take shelter in nearby forests. The villages, which came under the attack, are located less than a kilometre from the international border, police said, adding that one elderly woman sustained injury while another villager was reported missing.

The missing villager has been identified as Zingran Ningshen. He reportedly went missing after his house-cum-shop was allegedly set ablaze during the coordinated assault carried out by heavily armed militants. Cartridges, including use of a suspected grenade-launching cartridge, were discovered. It is feared that Zingran Ningshen may have been abducted by the attackers. Another house in Namlee village was also burnt during the attack, security sources said.

Local MLA from Phungyar L. Keishing alleged that the attack was carried out from across the border by Myanmar-based militant groups Kuki National Army (Burma) and the People’s Defence Force (PDF).

"So far, the state had been seeing internal conflicts, but today there has been external aggression. A combined force of Kuki National Army-B and People’s Defence Force attacked four to five border villages at 3.30 am," Mr Keishing told reporters.

He also regretted, “Assam Rifles troops visited the villages yesterday, and the attack happened today. Villagers have expressed frustration over the developments.”

However KNA-B in a written statement issued on social media denied their involvement into the incident while defining the charges as baseless. “The KNA-B is not involved in any activities within the Indian territory. Several media outlets irresponsibly try to drag name and tarnish the image of KNA-B without any credible evidence and fact. Such reckless reporting only fuels paranoia and further fuels instability in an already fragile region,” the outfit said in its statement.

Meanwhile, the Tangkhul Aze Katamnao Long (TAKL), also known as the Southern Tangkhul Students’ Union, expressed "extreme urgency and outrage" over the attacks on Tangkhul Naga border villages by alleged Kuki militants operating under the Kuki National Army-Burma.

The student body alleged that around 100 armed KNA-B militants crossed the Indo-Myanmar border into Kamjong district and attacked villages including Namlee, Wanglee, Ashang Khullen and Choro.

Villagers from Namlee and Wanglee also alleged that the suspected militants looted properties, including two Gypsy vehicles, several motorbikes, cash and mobile phones.

Security sources said that state administration has rushed additional forces in the area.