A woman from the Kuki community was reportedly killed and two others went missing following a gunfight between Kuki and Naga groups in Manipur’s Kamjong district, police said, amid escalating tensions between the communities.
The incident reportedly occurred around 4 pm in a forested area between Phaikoh and Mulvailup villages, near the Indo-Myanmar border.
Local Kuki organisations identified the deceased woman as Hatneikim Haokip and claimed that her husband escaped unharmed. They said two other Kuki-Zo civilians remained missing following the incident.
According to local accounts, Haokip and three others were travelling to purchase essential supplies for their families when they were allegedly attacked by suspected members of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM), a Naga militant group. The allegation could not be independently verified.
The incident comes amid a series of deadly attacks in the district and growing tensions between the Kuki and Naga communities.
Recent violence in Kamjong
On October 10, two Tangkhul Naga village guards were shot dead in Ningchou Naga village by suspected Kuki-based militant groups that had allegedly crossed over from Myanmar, according to reports.
On the same day, two other Kuki civilians, including a 42-year-old woman, were also killed during crossfire between armed militants and security forces, police said.
Four members of the Naga community were killed in a separate incident in Pilong village on September 25. According to the police FIR, unidentified armed individuals suspected of belonging to a Myanmar-based militant group entered the village near the Indo-Myanmar border and opened fire on residents.
Tensions between the Naga and Kuki communities intensified after two ambushes on May 13 left four people, including three church leaders, dead. The incidents were followed by the reported hostage-taking of 48 people, protests, shutdowns and a blockade of all three national highways in the state.
Manipur’s wider ethnic conflict
Manipur’s ethnic violence initially erupted between the Meitei and Kuki communities in May 2023 before spreading to involve other groups. At least 260 people have been killed and around 60,000 displaced since the conflict began.
The Meitei community, predominantly Hindu, largely inhabits the Imphal Valley, while the predominantly Christian Kuki-Zo community mainly resides in the hill districts. The communities have largely remained separated in areas dominated by their respective groups.
Although the state government has maintained that there are no formally designated buffer zones dividing communities, it has identified several sensitive areas.
A new government was formed in February 2026, nearly a year after President’s Rule was imposed. It includes representatives from the state’s three major communities as part of efforts to maintain ethnic balance and restore stability.
The latest incident adds to concerns over continuing insecurity in Manipur’s border districts, where repeated attacks have further strained relations between communities.
