IMPHAL: Strongly condemning the attack on Tangkhul Naga villages on Thursday, the Co-ordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a big conglomerate of civil society organisations, has demanded immediate “national response” to alleged cross-border armed aggression along the Indo-Myanmar border in Kamjong district of Manipur.
COCOMI expressed grave concern over the recent armed attacks reported in the early hours of May 7, 2026 targeting Tangkhul Naga villages and civilian areas along the Manipur-Myanmar international border, particularly in Kamjong district including Namlee, Wanglee, and adjoining areas.
COCOMI said the situation has now assumed an extremely serious dimension following the public statement made by a sitting MLA from the affected border region alleging that the attackers were cadres of the Myanmar-based Kuki National Army (KNA-B) and allied People’s Defence Forces (PDF) operating from across the international boundary.
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If these allegations are verified, the incident can no longer be casually dismissed as a mere “communal clash” or an “ethnic conflict,” said COCOMI. “It would amount to a serious case of cross-border armed aggression involving foreign-based armed groups launching attacks against Indian citizens residing within Indian territory”, it added.
COCOMI then strongly asserted that such a development directly concerns India’s national sovereignty, territorial integrity, border security, and internal security architecture. The Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defence, and all central security agencies deployed extensively across Manipur since May 2023 must urgently clarify the situation before the people, COCOMI further demanded.
It then raised several critical questions and asked, “If armed groups based across the Myanmar border are capable of launching coordinated attacks into Indian territory, what is the actual status of border security, surveillance, and intelligence preparedness in these sensitive frontier zones?” COCOMI also asked, “Why have repeated warnings from local border communities regarding infiltration, armed movement, narco-terror activities, and foreign militant presence not been adequately addressed despite nearly two years of instability in Manipur?”
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COCOMI further asked, “How were heavily armed cross-border elements able to infiltrate and operate freely in the hill regions bordering Myanmar despite continuous deployment of central armed forces and security agencies?” COCOMI then asked whether the Government of India continues to officially describe such incidents merely as “ethnic violence” even when “serious allegations now point towards foreign-origin armed actors breaching India’s international boundary”.
COCOMI then reiterated that the people residing in vulnerable border regions of Manipur deserve immediate protection, transparent investigation, and a firm national response. It added that any external armed intrusion into Indian territory must be treated with utmost seriousness under the framework of national security and territorial sovereignty.
COCOMI then said the “continued failure” to contain such incidents risks further destabilizing already fragile border communities and severely undermines public confidence in the ability of the State to protect its citizens and defend the nation’s territorial integrity.
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In view of the gravity of the situation, COCOMI also demanded immediate enhancement of security measures along vulnerable Indo-Myanmar border sectors. It also demanded a transparent and impartial high-level inquiry into the recent attacks. It further demanded an investigation into the alleged involvement of cross-border militant groups and allied armed networks. COCOMI further demanded examination of possible intelligence and operational failures. It then demanded “public clarification from the Government of India regarding the true nature of the incident and the security situation along the border”.
COCOMI urged the Government of India to act with urgency, seriousness, and transparency before the situation escalates further and causes irreversible damage to peace and stability in the region.