Arrest exposes child recruitment by SoO group
5 including juveniles held, arms seized
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 11 2026: Exposing recruitment of children by an armed group under the Suspension of Operations (SoO), security forces arrested five cadres including two minors of the United Socialist Revolutionary Army (USRA), a group operating under the KNO/KNA.

The Kuki National Organisation (KNO) is an umbrella body of armed groups under the Suspension of Operations (SoO), and the Kuki National Army (KNA) is its armed wing.

The Suspension of Operations (SoO) is a tripartite agreement, signed between armed insurgent groups--KNO and UPF--and the Government of India and the Government of Manipur in 2008 .

The UPF is another umbrella group of armed insurgent groups.

The SoO pact is renewed yearly.

Sources said that the five cadres including juveniles of the USRA were arrested during a search operation carried out by a combined team of CoBRA and 5 Assam Rifles at Chiangpi village in Churachandpur district today morning.

Three of the arrested cadres (excluding the minors) have been identified as Khual Vaiphei (35), son of Songneilal Vaiphei of Munpi village, Rooney Chiru (30), son of Jonathan Chiru of Nungsai, Kangpokpi district and Thanglalmuan Vaiphei (25), son of Kamneilun Vaiphei of Ngathal village.

During the operation, the security forces also recovered two AK-47 Rifles, one HK G3 Assault Rifle, one A1 Assault Rifle, one M22 Assault Rifle, 297 rounds of ammunition of different calibres from the cadres' designated camp.

The arrests, meanwhile, triggered a large number of women from the Chiangpi village and surrounding areas to build a mob and blocked the main gate of the 5th Assam Rifle COB post, demanding unconditional release of the five.

To prevent transport of the five USRA cadres to Churachandpur district headquarters, people at Suongpi and Hengkot were blocking the routes in the area, sources said.

Even as strict security measures are being taken up to prevent unwanted incidents, the situation in the region remains tense, added the sources.

People were still gathered in front of the AR camp late in the evening.

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