Security forces along India’s northeast border have been placed on alert after reports indicated that 900 suspected militants from war-torn Myanmar have crossed into the conflict-ridden Manipur state, according to a security official. The region has experienced ongoing clashes for over a year between the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and the mainly Christian Kuki community, resulting in the division of the state into ethnic enclaves.
The hill-dwelling Kukis share cultural, familial, and religious ties with tribal populations in Myanmar, where numerous armed groups have been engaged in conflict with the military since it took power in 2021. Kuldiep Singh, a security adviser to the Manipur government, confirmed on Friday that local intelligence agencies reported a potential crossing of suspected militants. “Nine hundred people are coming,” he stated to reporters, adding that border posts had been “alerted” and that security forces would carry out “combing operations” in the rugged, remote area.
Local media reports suggest that the intruders are Kuki militants trained in jungle warfare and equipped with weaponized drones. However, a Kuki student group in Manipur dismissed this claim as “propaganda” intended to discredit their community. “We are not in need of any external help to fight this secessionist Meitei community,” the Kuki Students’ Organization asserted.
After several months of relative calm, fresh fighting erupted this month in Manipur, with insurgent groups firing rockets and deploying drones, resulting in at least 11 fatalities. Meitei protesters marched through the state capital Imphal last week, demanding that security forces take action against the Kuki insurgents whom they blame for the recent attacks. The ongoing tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities are rooted in competition for land and public employment opportunities. The violence has displaced approximately 60,000 people and led to at least 200 deaths, according to government figures, leaving many unable to return to their homes. (With AFP inputs)