UKHRUL: Four members of the Naga Village Guards were reportedly injured in a clash between armed Kuki and Naga groups in Ukhrul District at around 10:30 AM today.
The identities of the injured are yet to be confirmed at the time of filing this report.
In a press statement issued by the Information and Publicity Cell of the Ringui Village Protection Committee, it was reported that “Kuki terrorists operating under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact,” armed with sophisticated weapons, attacked the Naga Village Guards (NVGs) who were monitoring the area along the Ringui Horei, within the jurisdiction of Ringui Naga Village. This attack resulted in severe injuries to two NVGs.
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The Committee condemned the attack and stated that the gunfight, which began around 10:30 AM, was ongoing at the time of the report, causing widespread panic and distress among the innocent villagers.
“It is deeply alarming that this is not the first instance of Kuki terrorists launching attacks in this location. The repeated acts of aggression demonstrate a continuing pattern of hostility and provocation, forcing innocent civilians—including women, children, and the elderly—to live in constant fear and uncertainty. The populace remains vulnerable to stray bullets, destruction of homes, forced displacements, and threats to human lives,” the statement continued.
Further, it warned that the continuing aggressions by Kuki terrorists pose a significant threat of escalating tensions between the Kuki and Naga communities into a broader conflict, jeopardizing peace, communal harmony, and stability across Manipur.
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Consequently, the Ringui Village Protection Committee urgently called upon the relevant authorities to ensure that peace and harmony are maintained in Ringui Village and its surrounding areas. The Committee emphasized that the Ringui Village community stands united in defending its land, its people, and its right to live in peace and dignity.
On the other hand, the Kuki Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Working Committee, Ukhrul, reported that an attempt to carry out another attack on a Kuki village was thwarted.
In their statement, the Kuki organization asserted that the driving forces behind the conflict in the region are becoming increasingly clear, based on the actions unfolding on the ground. They mentioned that barely four days after a brutal attack on Mulam Kukl village, another serious provocation occurred.
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“Credible local sources confirmed the presence of suspected Tangkhul militant elements along the Kampa Mol (Mount Compass) ridges, which are recognized as shared cultivated land belonging to the Kuki villages of Yaolen Chepu, Mongkot Chepu, Lamlal Chingphei, and Mulam,” they stated. Acting swiftly on this information, Kuki village volunteers conducted a preventive patrol with the legitimate objective of securing and clearing their jungle areas to protect their community from repeated threats and incursions.
The reports proved accurate. During the patrol, the volunteers encountered the intruding ‘Tangkhul militants’ already within the jungle areas of the Kuki village land. “A collision occurred between the two sides within the shared border area, well inside the village domain, triggering an exchange of fire at approximately 11:10 AM today,” they reported.
The Kuki committee expressed that this incident raises serious and unavoidable questions. “While certain Tangkhul CSO leaders portray themselves as victims in the media, how do these claims reconcile with the repeated presence of Tangkhul militants within Kuki territories? How can one explain the stark difference between public statements advocating peace and the ongoing pattern of aggressive ground actions and attempted intimidation?” they asked.
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They emphasized that such contradictions can no longer be ignored, highlighting a deliberate attempt to distort reality while either enabling or overlooking actions aimed at eliminating Kuki villages through force. “We have always advocated for peaceful coexistence and mutual respect. However, peace cannot be one-sided, nor can it exist alongside repeated incursions and armed intimidation. The Kuki people remain resolute—while we prefer peace, the defense of our land, rights, and people is non-negotiable,” the statement concluded.