UKHRUL: MLA of Phungyar Assembly Constituency in Kamjong District, Leishiyo Keishing, on Wednesday said the Tangkhul villages along the Indo-Myanmar border, including Kongkan Thana, are among the most sensitive border areas due to their sparse population, poor road connectivity, and proximity to armed groups operating across the Myanmar border.
Speaking to the media in the aftermath of the attack on the border village, Keishing said the area is adjacent to territories where the KNA-B and the People’s Defence Force (PDF) are active, while information flow and the movement of state security forces remain extremely limited.
He alleged that at least 12 houses, along with a small market area, were set ablaze by suspected KNA-B cadres who crossed over from the Myanmar side of the border on Wednesday morning.
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Referring to Phaimol village, Keishing said it had already been deserted three to four weeks earlier and was subsequently burnt down. He was responding to a July 1 press statement issued by Kuki Inpi Manipur, which had accused the NSCN-IM and the Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) of burning down Phaimol, a Kuki village in Kamjong district.
The MLA said Indian security forces are currently taking stock of the situation and attempting to bring the border area under control. However, he urged the state government to reinforce security deployment, recalling that Namlee, Wanglee Market, and Choro villages were also attacked and burnt on May 8, 2026.
He further alleged that local residents have little trust in the Assam Rifles and appealed to the state government to deploy neutral forces, such as the India Reserve Battalion (IRB) or other agencies, to prevent similar attacks in the future.
Pointing out that Kongkan Thana is located barely three kilometres from an Assam Rifles post, Keishing questioned how such an attack could have taken place “right under the nose” of the security forces.
