35 houses burnt down at Kongkan Thana, Phaimol
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal/Ukhrul, July 01 2026: In a tit for tat attacks, at least 35 houses have been burnt down at Kongkan Thana and Phaimol villages, Kamjong district under Chassad police station today.

According to sources, unidentified armed persons attacked Phaimol village and burnt down around 15 houses and other structures at around 12 noon.

A short time later, heavily armed militants attacked Kongkan Thana and Sangkalok (hamlet of Nambisa village), and burnt down around 20 houses and other structures belonging to the Naga community including houses of Burmese refugees who have been taking shelter at the border villages.

The sources said that the armed militants were suspected to be cadres of KNA(B) based in Myanmar.

35 houses burnt down at Kongkan Thana, Phaimol

According to locals, the suspected KNA(B) militants were in civilian fatigue but they were all heavily armed with sophisticated weapons.

They opened fire indiscriminately as they entered the village forcing villagers to flee before torching the houses.

According to the villagers, Sangkalok hamlet currently houses more than 200 Myanmar refugees in their refugee camp.

Meanwhile, the villagers have expressed strong resentment and indignation against security forces (BSF, IRB, State Police) currently stationed at Kherongram/Sangkalok for their failure to respond to the attack in time.

Even though gunshots were heard during the attacks and arsons, there was no report of any injury or casualty, the sources added.

Plumes of smoke rising from Kongkan Thana and Sangkalok could be seen in video clips circulated on social media.

The attackers were also heard speaking in Kuki dialect.

Incidentally, Kongkan Thana, Sangkalok and Phaimol villages are located close to the Indo-Myanmar border pillar number 102 .

Notably, militants belonging to the Myanmar-based Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B) and PDF infiltrated into Indian territory at the frontier villages of Kamjong district, Manipur, set several villages on fire and abducted some Indian citizens on May 7, 2026 .

Using sophisticated firearms and explosives, a combined force of KNA-B and PDF simultaneously attacked three Tangkhul villages - Choro, Wanglee and Namlee in the wee hours at around 4 on May 7, 2026 .

The coordinated attack injured two persons, one NVG and a Vaiphei woman taking refuge in Namlee village camp.

The foreign militants torched 15 houses at Choro, two shops at Wanglee and another shop at Namlee in Kamjong district.

Meanwhile, AMUCO, PLAMPA, AMAWOVA, COHR and MSF have vehemently condemned the burning of around 25 houses at Kongkan Thana and Sangkalok by unidentified heavily armed persons today.

Such heinous acts of blatant human rights violation is a machination of the Government of India, the five organisations alleged in a joint press release.

They asked the Government of India to immediately stop its policy of creating animosity among different communities of the State.

All the perpetrators of the arson and other acts of terrorism must be arrested, prosecuted and awarded exemplary punishment as per the law of the land, they demanded.

Ukhriul Times reported that MLA of Phungyar Assembly Constituency in Kamjong district, Leishiyo Keishing, on Wednesday said the Tangkhul villages along the Indo-Myanmar border, including Kongkan Thana, are among the most sensitive border areas due to their sparse population, poor road connectivity, and proximity to armed groups operating across the Myanmar border.

Speaking to the media in the aftermath of the attack on the border village, Keishing said the area is adjacent to territories where the KNA-B and the People's Defence Force (PDF) are active, while information flow and the movement of State security forces remain extremely limited.

He alleged that at least 12 houses, along with a small market area, were set ablaze by suspected KNA-B cadres who crossed over from the Myanmar side of the border on Wednesday morning.

Referring to Phaimol village, Keishing said it had already been deserted three to four weeks earlier and was subsequently burnt down.

He was responding to a July 1 press statement issued by Kuki Inpi Manipur, which had accused the NSCN (IM) and the Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) of burning down Phaimol, a Kuki village in Kamjong district.

The MLA said Indian security forces are currently taking stock of the situation and attempting to bring the border area under control.

However, he urged the State Government to reinforce security deployment, recalling that Namlee, Wanglee and Choro were also attacked and burnt on May 8, 2026 .

He further alleged that local residents have little trust in the Assam Rifles and appealed to the State Government to deploy neutral forces, such as the India Reserve Battalion (IRB) or other agencies, to prevent similar attacks in the future.

Pointing out that Kongkan Thana is located barely three kilometres from an Assam Rifles post, Keishing questioned how such an attack could have taken place "right under the nose" of the security forces.