Kuki militants attack Tangkhul villages
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik

Ukhrul, April 06 2026: Multiple Tangkhul villages have once again come under attack from Kuki militants.

Suspected Kuki militants launched a fresh round of aggression on Sunday evening and it continued today too.

According to local sources, Kuki militants opened fire at Sharkaphung village from Shangkai Kuki village at around 6.30 pm on Sunday.

After a brief lull, the Kuki militants resumed firing at around 9.30 pm .

In a separate incident, Kuki militants unleashed a barrage of gunshots from Mongkot Chepu toward the villagers of Litan.

The Kuki militants also attacked Sanakeithel village at around 10.30 this morning.

Although there were no reports of casualties, 6/7 houses were damaged at Thoyee village under Kam-jong district.

The locals informed that a thermal drone used by Kuki militants was sighted over Thawai/Thoyee village during the initial phase of the gun firing.

The sources also mentioned that a bomb exploded near Litan police station.

According to the sources, the womenfolk of Thawai/Thoyee village strongly opposed the entry of security forces into their areas, reiterating the decision of the Village Authority which declared that no external forces would be permitted until the situation is suitably resolved.

The Village Authority has cited "unfair" treatment and raised concerns over the handling of the situation.

Security forces including police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF), have been deployed at Thoyee village.

The entire stretch of National Highway-202 from Litan to Mahadev via Mongkot Chepu and Shangkai Kuki villages, spanning around 15 Kms, remains either shut or is being avoided by civilians out of security concerns.

Meanwhile the Working Committee of the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) has rubbished the allegations made by the Kuki CSOs Working Committee, Ukhrul, expressing grave concern over what it termed as "misleading and selective narratives" regarding the sermon delivered by Rev Ramyothing Phungshok and the recent incident of violence at Thoyee and Sharkaphung villages.

Any form of hate speech, provocation, or targeting of civilians must be condemned unequivocally.

It is equally important that narratives surrounding such incidents are grounded in verified facts and not presented in a selective or one-sided manner.

The sermon of Rev Ramyothing was made in the context of the erstwhile situation in Ukhrul and the Kukis should not poke their nose in matters that do not concern them nor take things out of context and blow them out of proportion, the TNL Working Committee said.

It said that it was the Kuki militants who fired towards civilian houses at Thoyee and Sharkaphung after April 5, 2026 .

The firing continued incessantly throughout the night without any meaningful intervention by the security forces to stop the firing, the TNL Working Committee said.

It said that there was no retaliation whatsoever from the villagers yesterday despite coming under heavy fire.

Equally alarming is the use of thermal drones by Kuki militant groups during this attack.

The deployment of such advanced and targeted surveillance and attack methods marks a dangerous escalation and further endangers the already vulnerable civilian population, it said.

It is deeply troubling that despite these repeated and escalating incidents, the State and the Central Governments continue to remain a passive observer.

The lack of decisive intervention, accountability and protection of affected civilians raises serious questions about the commitment to safeguarding citizens and maintaining order.

"We call upon the authorities to act immediately and decisively to ensure the safety of civilians and to take concrete steps toward restoring peace and security.

The people of Thoyee and Sharkaphung deserve protection, justice and an end to this cycle of violence from illegal Kuki militants", the TNL Working Committee asserted.

The Thawai/Thoyee Village Authority too has strongly condemned the indiscriminate firing launched by suspected Kuki militants from the Shangkai and Zalenbung areas targeting Thawai village on a peaceful evening of Easter Sunday.

According to the statement, the attack involved using sophisticated weapons that intermittently occurred in between 6.30 pm and 10.30 pm approximately and multiple bullets hit residential homes, some penetrating the houses.

Thawai Village Authority has called upon the Government to take urgent and impartial measures to guarantee the security of the villagers, conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident, and ensure that justice is delivered without bias or delay.

The Village Authority expresses grave concern over the circumstances surrounding this attack, particularly in light of the advance operations reportedly conducted by Central security forces in the area the day before.

These developments have raised serious questions regarding the effectiveness and intent of such operations.

The apparent absence or inaction of security personnel during the attack warrants immediate clarification, the village authority asserted.

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