Militants Kill One and Burn 15 Houses in Manipur

Suspected militants killed one Kuki civilian, Seikhohao Haokip, and injured four others during an attack on Chassad village in Manipur's Kamjong district on October 17, 2026. Following the gun attack, the assailants set fire to at least 15 houses belonging to the Kuki community, forcing residents to flee into nearby forests and an Army camp.

In a separate incident the same night, rival armed groups attacked the Kamjong district headquarters, leaving three Tangkhul Naga civilians with bullet injuries. Nemcha Kipgen, the Deputy Chief Minister of Manipur, condemned the arson as an "intolerable crime" and ordered security forces to maintain vigilance.

In response to the violence, a joint column consisting of the Assam Rifles, Border Security Force, and Kamjong Police deployed to the area near the India-Myanmar border to restore order. The Kuki-Zo Council criticized the government for failing to protect civilians and questioned why NSCN-IM cadres continue to operate in the region despite existing ceasefire agreements. The council also reported an economic embargo that has blocked Kuki-Zo civilians from accessing essential commodities.