Central forces gunned down four cadres of the United Kuki National Army (UKNA) during a counterinsurgency operation in Manipur’s Churachandpur district early on Tuesday.
An officer with the Assam Rifles said that during an intelligence-based operation, terrorists resorted to unprovoked firing at the Army in Khanpi village, approximately 80 km west of Churachandpur. In the ensuing firefight between the security forces and armed cadres of the UKNA, four cadres of the group were neutralised, the official said.
The operation is still in progress and the search of the adjoining areas is underway. UKNA is not a signatory to the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement signed between Kuki militants and the Government of India.
“This operation follows recent atrocities by UKNA cadres, including the killing of a village chief, intimidation of locals and attempts to disrupt peace and stability in the region. Successful neutralisation of these terrorists highlights the Indian Army and Assam Rifles’ commitment to protecting innocent civilians, mitigating all threats and ensuring peace and security in Manipur,” a statement from the Defence Ministry said.
In the last week of October, the chief of a tribal village in Churachandpur was subjected to brutal assault by armed men, allegedly by members of the UKNA, and succumbed to his injuries within hours.
In June, at least four people, including an elderly woman, were killed in an ambush carried out by the UKNA in the district. Among those killed is a leader of the Kuki National Organisation/Kuki National Army (KNO/KNA).
