UKHRUL: Sinakeithei village in Ukhrul district came under sustained firing on Saturday afternoon, with villagers alleging that armed Kuki militants opened fire from bunker positions overlooking the area.
Fresh leaked footage linked to the latest attack on Sinakeithei villagers in Ukhrul district has intensified concern over what local sources describe as the continued impunity of armed Kuki militants allegedly under Suspension of Operation (SoO) groups with impunity, operating from fortified positions.
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Sources said the footage where the Kuki militants are seen firing multiple rounds using Ishapore 2A1 scoped bolt-action rifle, is believed to have been recorded from a bunker in the Lungter Hill range overlooking Sinakeitheithei, though Ukhrul Times could not independently verify this.
Villagers told Ukhrul Times that the firing began around 1:30 pm. A Tangkhul Naga woman and her son, who were out in their fields, were caught in the open and pinned down for several hours as gunfire continued from the Lungter Kuki village side.
“They couldn’t move. Every time they tried, shots were fired,” a local source said.
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The two were later rescued by personnel of the Mahar Regiment. The civilians were brought out safely. Casspir vehicles were deployed by Mahar Regiment despite the ongoing firing.
Through the afternoon on Saturday, firing continued at intervals. By evening, villagers said the situation had turned into a coordinated attack, with gunfire coming from multiple directions.
Some residents also claimed that heavier explosive rounds were used during the attack, though this could not be independently verified.
The map of the area shows why Sinakeithei, a major Tangkhul Naga village of around 400 households is under pressure.
As indicated in the map, the red-marked route appears to represent the road corridor that Kuki militants seek to dominate. The blue-marked route are believed to be already dominated. That route passes through or immediately along the Sinakeithei axis, making the village a critical obstruction to any attempt at securing uninterrupted control of movement through the area. In that sense, for Sinakeithei, the issue is not only territorial pressure but survival itself: whoever controls the corridor and the adjoining heights can influence civilian movement, access, and security across the wider belt.
“It’s not random firing,” a local said. “If this road is cut or controlled, we are completely exposed.”
The map also suggests that Sinakeithei sits amid a ring of Kuki settlements and approach roads, leaving it exposed from several sides. This geographic reality helps explain repeated concerns from local residents that the village remains particularly vulnerable to attacks launched from nearby fortified or elevated positions.
The Lungter hills overlook the area, and several approach roads converge near the village.
Surrounded on multiple sides and overlooked from higher ground, Sinakeithei remains one of the most vulnerable Tangkhul Naga villages in the area right now. The Sinakeithei relentless attack by the Kuki militants from several points from the elevated Lungter Hills range is not merely another flashpoint, but a strategic pressure by the militants.
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The incident comes just a day after a similar firing from such hilltop bunker was reported from the foothill areas of Pukhao–Naharup–Chingphei in Imphal East.
Villagers there had gone to collect firewood, reportedly accompanied by state and central forces. Around 9:30 am, suspected armed Kuki groups opened fire from a distance of about 500 metres, firing several rounds toward the Meitei/Meetei villagers. No casualties were reported, but the incident added to growing concerns over civilian safety.
For residents of Sinakeithei, the latest attacks is being seen as part of a larger pattern: pressure from surrounding militant positions, repeated firing on civilians, and attempts to dominate key road links in the area. In that context, the intervention by the Mahar Regiment is being remembered.
Editor’s Note:
Reporters covering Sinakeithei and Litan area in Ukhrul and Kamjong districts are urged to exercise strict verification. Claims must be backed by credible evidence, and reliance on unverified or circulating media reports should be avoided. It is advisable to seek confirmation from the villagers under attack or Mahar Regiment where relevant.