UKHRUL: An armed attack was reported early Thursday morning at around 7 am on Kharam Vaiphei, a Kuki-Zo village located on the periphery of Kangpokpi district. According to a statement issued by the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), Sadar Hills Kangpokpi, the assailants used bombs and gunfire, allegedly involving sophisticated weapons.
COTU stated that Kharam Vaiphei has remained vulnerable since the outbreak of ethnic conflict in Manipur on May 3, 2023, and has allegedly faced repeated threats from valley-based insurgent groups. The committee further claimed that several Kuki-Zo villages situated along the Kangpokpi periphery continue to face hostility amid ongoing tensions.
The statement also alleged the involvement of a group identifying itself as the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF), accusing it of operating under the patronage of valley-based insurgent organisations. Reports of the alleged kidnapping of an elderly civilian and what was described as a staged interrogation under the pretext of combating drug-related activities were also mentioned.
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While acknowledging efforts to restore a semblance of the rule of law in Manipur, the Committee on Tribal Unity expressed concern over what it termed inadequate government action, even during the period of Governor’s Rule. It alleged that armed groups continue to operate freely, creating fear and insecurity in the region.
The committee urged the authorities to take immediate action to identify, apprehend, and dismantle such armed groups operating in and around Kangpokpi to prevent further escalation of violence.