Imphal: At least five cadres of a non-SoO militant group were killed in a gunfight early at Deiveijang village in Manipur’s Tamenglong district on Tuesday morning. Security sources said the clash erupted between the United Kuki National Army (UKNA) and the Chin Kuki Mizo Army (CKMA) — both of which are not signatories to the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre. The deceased have been identified as Alex, Seiboi, Pongba, Ringo, and Rambo. Authorities have yet to confirm whether all five belonged to the UKNA, CKMA, or both. The UKNA and CKMA are recently formed, and comprised armed elements from the Chin-Kuki community. They are known to operate across Manipur’s hill districts and portions of the India-Myanmar border. Intelligence inputs suggest an ongoing tussle for territorial and organisational dominance between the two since their formation. The incident has sparked fresh security concerns in the region, especially given the involvement of newly formed outfits outside the SoO framework. It’s worth mentioning that UKNA was allegedly involved in the killing of the deputy commander-in-chief of the Kuki National Army (KNA), a SoO-signatory group, on June 30. The incident had already stirred unease across the region.Following Tuesday’s gunfight, security forces have reportedly intensified surveillance in the area, although no official statement has been released by state police or central agencies regarding the operation or its aftermath.
