Fri Dec 27 21:01:57 UTC 2024: ## Manipur Violence: Kuki Militants Attack Villages, Injuring Civilians and Police
**Imphal, Manipur –** Indiscriminate firing by Kuki militants on two villages in Imphal East district on Friday left a policeman and a civilian injured, prompting strong condemnation from Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh. The attack targeted Sanasabi and Thamnapokpi villages, located near the foothills, with gunfire reportedly starting around 10:45 am. Videos from the scene show panicked residents, including elderly women and children, fleeing amidst automatic gunfire. One witness described the situation as bullets flying everywhere.
Police responded to the attacks, with armed men launching attacks at Thamnapokpi around 11:30 am. Security forces, including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), rescued numerous civilians caught in the crossfire. Chief Minister Singh, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), demanded better coordination between central forces and state police in responding to such incidents. He also stated that adequate security personnel have been deployed to the affected areas and the injured are receiving medical attention.
The violence comes amid ongoing tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities. Former Manipur High Court Chief Justice Siddharth Mridul voiced concerns that external forces may be fueling the conflict, suggesting that each time the situation appears to stabilize, new violence erupts. He highlighted the possibility of local collaborators aiding these external forces in perpetuating the unrest.
The conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities, rooted in a dispute over Scheduled Tribe status for the Meiteis and Kuki demands for a separate administration, has already claimed over 250 lives and displaced nearly 50,000 people. The latest attacks underscore the continuing fragility of the situation in Manipur.
First Piper 