Kuki militants renew attacks on Meitei villages
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 26 2023: On the day Christians were cele-brating Christmas across the world, Kuki militants laun-ched several attacks by firing indiscriminately at Meitei settlements yesterday.

Well armed Kuki militants launched attacks at Yaingangpokpi, Thamna-pokpi, adjoining areas in Imphal East and Tronglaobi Maning in Bishnupur.

The attacks at Yaingang-pokpi, Thamnapokpi and adjoining areas came at around 10 am with Kuki militants firing indiscriminately from Thamnapokpi Uyok Hill Range.

The attack damaged several houses and Yaingang- pokpi Primary Health Centre.

Today, security forces conducted a massive search operation and dismantled several bunkers and trenches at Thamnapokpi Uyok Ching.

The operation was conducted by a combined team of Imphal East district police and Central security personnel.

The security forces dismantled five bunkers and destroyed seven trenches built by Kuki militants at Thamnapokpi Uyok Ching Hill Range in the morning.

No arms were recovered and no persons were detained in the operation.

The attack at Tronglaobi Maning came after a lull for many days.

Kuki militants launched the attack yesterday night at around 11 pm from Gelmol and Molsang village.

Tronglaobi Maning falls under the jurisdiction of Moirang police station.

Armed Kuki men and militants fired more than 40 rounds of bullets towards Tronglaobi Maning.

In return, village volunteers fired some rounds of bullets.

Later, State force and CRPF personnel stationed in the area also returned fire.

Sikh Regiment personnel stationed in the area intervened, and the firing stopped after the Regiment personnel spoke with the Kuki militants.

No one was hurt in the firing.

Sources said there are also security forces stationed at Laija Molsang and Gelmol village from where the Kuki militants launched the attack.

Meanwhile, after the search operation today that dismantled bunkers and trenches built by Kuki militants, locals have lauded the police and Central armed security personnel for conducting the operation successfully.

They, however, have expressed apprehension that the Kuki militants may return in the area and fire towards civilian settlements again once the security forces are gone.

The locals said this was not the first time security forces have dismantled bunkers in the area.

They said Kuki militants may build the bunkers again once the security forces retreated.

They claimed each time the bunkers are dismantled, the Kuki militants have built bigger bunkers.

Notably, the attack yesterday came at around 10 am and lasted till 11.45 am.

Many bullets fired by the Kuki militants hit and damaged several houses and Yaingangpokpi Primary Health Centre.

Some bullets hit the houses of Phijam Inaobi and Elangbam Chandrasing at Yaingangpokpi.

Some hit the houses of Laishram Diken and Sougrakpam Ibomcha at Thamnapokpi.

No one was hurt in the attack.

As the Kuki militants fired indiscriminately, village volunteers returned fire.

Villagers said they were not expecting Kuki militants to attack as it was Christmas.

Due to the attack, many locals of Yaingangpokpi, Thamnapokpi, Sabungkhok Khunou, Sanasabi and Santikhongbal have fled to nearby villages.

The area from where the Kuki militants launched the attack is a buffer zone.

The Government and security forces should control the SoO Kuki militants.

They should be made to stay in their designated camps, said villagers.

They accused the security forces of not returning the fire and pursuing the militants.

No armed Kuki men and militants have been arrested for attacking civilians since May 3, they said, seeking proactive action from the Government to stop the militants from launching future attacks.

The villagers asserted the same law enforced in the valley should be applied in the hills also.

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