Imphal: Four heavily armed insurgents were killed by security forces on Sunday (October 10) in a dense forest of Hingojang, Manipur, during a joint operation by the Indian army and Assam rifles. Killed militants were members of the Kuki National Liberation Army (KNLA).
The Assam Rifles and the Indian Army’s 3 Corps launched the joint operation on Saturday (October 09) night. The joint search team found a hideout of Kuki militants inside the forest and, knowing the presence of the security forces, around 12 militants opened fire on the forces.
Security forces retaliated to the fire by militants in the wee hours of Sunday (October 10).
According to defence sources in Manipur, four militants were gunned down in operation. 6 to 8 militants flee amid heavy fire fighting, taking shields of dense forest and darkness.
“#SecurityForces of @official_dgar under @SpearCorps launched a joint operation on October 09 in Hingojang,#Manipur. Area cordoned & firefight started in the morning of October 10. Four insurgents neutralised.” PRO Defence Imphal tweeted.
The origins of Kuki insurgent groups can be traced back to the Kuki community’s desire to protect itself from other militant groups and the aftermath of the Kuki Naga and Kuki — Zomi ethnic clashes in 1997-98, according to the official website of the Indian Army.
The organisations are active in northeast India and northwest Myanmar. The Kuki group is involved in extortion, abduction and killing in the Indo-Myanmar border areas of Manipur.
