In Manipur, at least 11 suspected Kuki militants were killed in a fierce gunfight with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel on Monday in Jiribam district. The clash erupted after the militants allegedly attacked a CRPF camp, injuring two jawans. One of the injured CRPF personnel, in critical condition, was airlifted to a hospital for urgent medical treatment.
According to officials, the attackers targeted not only the CRPF camp but also seemed to threaten a nearby relief camp sheltering those affected by ongoing ethnic violence in the state. In response, CRPF forces retaliated, fatally wounding 11 of the assailants, though some militants managed to flee the scene.
Following the incident, the Jiribam District Magistrate imposed an indefinite curfew to prevent further escalation and stabilize the district, which has a mixed population. The bodies of the deceased militants were taken to the Borobekra police station, while police launched a search for missing civilians, who may have either been taken by the militants or are hiding for safety.
The attack follows a pattern of intensifying violence across Manipur, with a series of recent incidents targeting both security forces and civilians. On Sunday, armed attackers from nearby hills fired automatic weapons and launched bombs in Imphal East, prompting a counterattack from joint forces including the army and Border Security Force (BSF). Although no injuries were reported in Imphal East, other incidents have proven fatal, with a Meitei woman shot in Bishnupur district and a woman burned to death in Jiribam just days prior.
The ongoing ethnic conflict, which began last year, has disrupted daily life for residents in multiple districts. In recent days, farmers have faced difficulty accessing paddy fields due to violence near agricultural areas. To ensure security, Manipur Police have bolstered deployments in vulnerable zones as tensions continue to escalate across the region.
