Manipur: 11 Suspected Kuki Militants Killed in Clash in Jiribam; Curfew Enforced

Sangbad Voice 9, New Delhi: In a harrowing confrontation today, at least 11 alleged Kuki insurgents met their demise during an encounter with security forces in the Jiribam district of Manipur, as reported by sources. A soldier from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) sustained injuries during the onslaught perpetrated by the suspected Kuki militants in this border region adjacent to Assam. The injured soldier has since been airlifted to Silchar Medical College in Assam for urgent medical attention.

Since May of the previous year, ethnic strife between the Imphal-based Meiteis and the hill-dwelling Kukis has claimed over 200 lives and displaced thousands, plunging the region into turmoil. In a related incident, armed militants set ablaze multiple shops in the Borobekra subdivision of the district, exacerbating the already volatile situation.

The skirmish erupted when the suspected Kuki insurgents launched a coordinated assault from two flanks on a police station in Jiribam, sources disclosed. Notably, a relief camp for internally displaced individuals is situated adjacent to the police station, leading to speculation that the assailants may have intended to target this facility as well.

According to a police officer who spoke to NDTV from Jiribam, the assailants likely arrived in autorickshaws. This particular police station in Borobekra has been a recurrent target in recent months. Following their initial assault, the insurgents dispersed towards a nearby settlement in Jakurador Karong, approximately one kilometer from the police station, where they commenced setting residences ablaze while simultaneously engaging in a firefight with security personnel.

In response to the escalating violence, the CRPF has dispatched reinforcements to Jiribam. Kuki civil society organizations have declared a shutdown in areas predominantly inhabited by their community, mourning the loss of individuals they refer to as "village volunteers." Among the arsenal seized by security forces post-conflict were rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and AK series assault rifles.

Both factions assert that their "village volunteers" are armed solely with licensed single-barreled firearms, despite a plethora of leaked visuals suggesting a starkly different reality. Tensions have surged in Jiribam since last week, following a resurgence of violence. Just last Thursday, a woman from the Hmar tribe was reportedly killed by suspected Meitei insurgents, who also torched homes in Jiribam. Her husband has alleged in a police report that she was subjected to rape prior to her murder