Manipur violence: Nine dead in fresh Kuki-Naga clashes across hill districts

Nine people have been killed in a fresh wave of armed clashes between Kuki and Naga communities across Manipur's hill districts, prompting additional security deployments and urgent calls for peace from the state government.

The violence, which flared over Friday and Saturday across Kamjong, Ukhrul and Kangpokpi districts, marks a serious escalation in tensions between the two ethnic groups. Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh appealed for restraint on Sunday, directing security forces to take immediate steps to restore order in the worst-hit areas.

How the violence spread

The latest cycle of killings began on Friday night in Chassad, a Kuki-dominated village in Naga-majority Kamjong district, where a 22-year-old mother of five was shot dead by unidentified gunmen.

The killing triggered a gun battle between Kuki and Naga armed groups that continued until Saturday morning. A 42-year-old man was killed during the fighting and ten houses were set ablaze. Authorities subsequently imposed prohibitory orders under Section 162 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita in the village.

Violence quickly spread to neighbouring districts on Saturday. In Kangpokpi district, suspected militants launched attacks on Tapon and Makui villages, killing two Naga village guards, M Daimai and R Gangmei, alongside a resident identified as Ringkangmai. Heavy exchanges of fire were reported between armed groups at Makui Ashang and Tapon.

A Naga civil society organisation, the Working Committee JTC Manipur, said a 52-year-old villager, Ajinbou R, was beheaded during the attacks and demanded the return of his severed head for burial.

Border village attack and ambush

In a separate incident on Saturday, suspected militants raided Ningchou, a Tangkhul Naga settlement near the India-Myanmar border in Kamjong district. Gunmen opened fire, killing 35-year-old Ngachanso Ningshen and 48-year-old Leishishan Leishadang. Local residents said the assailants fled across the border into Myanmar following the shooting.

In Ukhrul district, a 40-year-old man, Sandeep Rai, was shot dead inside his car near Chepu Yaolen village when suspected militants opened fire on his vehicle.

Escalating tension in hill districts

Additional security forces have been sent to Kangpokpi and Kamjong districts to stabilise the situation. In a statement posted online, Chief Minister Khemchand Singh condemned the targeting of civilians and instructed security officials to ensure the safety of all residents.

Clashes between Kuki and Naga groups have intensified since February, claiming more than 40 lives and leaving dozens of homes destroyed prior to this weekend's violence. The conflict adds to the broader turmoil in Manipur, where earlier ethnic violence between the valley-based Meitei majority and Kuki tribes left more than 300 people dead and displaced thousands.