Dimapur, May 16: In continued factional violence, 16 people- 14 from NSCN-Unification and two civilians - were killed while three others, all civilians, were injured in three separate factional related incidents in Dimapur today.

In the first incident, 14 NSCN-Unification cadres were killed after being ambushed by rival NSCN (I-M) cadres at Seithekima-C village near Patkai College at around 6 am on Friday.

The incident occurred when the NSCN-Unification cadres were returning after executing an attack on the rival cadres.

Thirteen cadres died on the spot while another, who was seriously injured in the clash, succumbed to injuries later.

In the second incident, two civilians died while two others, also civilians, were injured in a firing incident in front of the NSCN-IM's Ceasefire Monitoring Cell at 4th Mile area in Dimapur.

Earlier in the day at around 12.30 pm, a large number of people gathered at Dimapur's Diphupar PS when the bodies of the 12 NSCN-Unification cadres were brought.

The people shouted slogans in protest against the killings while another group of people gheraoed the NSCN-IM's Ceasefire Monitoring Cell.

The crowd soon became agitated and started pelting stones at the Cell, followed by setting fire to it.

Some petrol bombs were also lobbed at the NSCN-IM's Cell as a result of which a thatched structure on the rooftop of the two-storey Cell caught fire.

A youth was also seen climbing up the Cell along with a pistol and firing shots at those holed up inside.

However, it could not be ascertained whether he was a cadre or a civilian.

Around 20 IRB personnel, who reached the spot, were intercepted by the public, mostly women.

While all these things were going on, shots were fired intermittently by NSCN (I-M) cadres who were holed up inside the Ceasefire Monitoring Cell.

The violence continued for nearly two hours.

At around 2:45 pm, some armed NSCN (I-M) cadres arrived at the scene and fired indiscri-minately in which the two civilians were killed and two others, both civilians, injured.

Later, some from the NSCN-Unification also arrived at the scene that led to a gun battle which continued till 5 pm.

Meanwhile, the irate mob burnt down three houses in the vicinity.

The houses belonged to two NSCN (I-M) cadres and a civilian, all from Tangkhul tribe.

In the evening, another group of people set fire to two houses at Wungram Colony, followed by an exchange of fire between the two factions in the area.

A civilian was injured in crossfire here.