Fresh violence has broken out in Manipur’s Kamjong district along the India-Myanmar border, reigniting tensions between Kuki and Naga communities. On July 1, armed groups targeted villages belonging to both sides, setting fire to several houses in what appears to be a cycle of retaliatory attacks.
According to local officials and eyewitness accounts, unidentified assailants first struck Phaimol, a Kuki-inhabited village, around 12:30 pm on Wednesday. All 15 houses in the settlement were completely destroyed by fire. The village had been evacuated in advance due to heightened security risks, with residents sheltering in a safer location near an Assam Rifles camp. No injuries or deaths were reported.
Hours later, suspected retaliatory action hit nearby Tangkhul Naga villages. In Shangkhalok, around seven houses caught fire but were partially saved. Another seven houses were reportedly torched in the adjacent Huimin Thana area. Overall, more than 20 houses across Kuki and Naga settlements were affected by the arson, with security forces describing the events as interconnected attacks.
Kuki civil society groups have strongly condemned the initial assault on Phaimol. They accuse Naga militants, including elements linked to the NSCN-IM and possible Myanmar-based allies, of orchestrating a targeted campaign against Kuki villages in the Tangkhul-dominated region. They point to this as part of a worrying pattern of violence that has intensified in recent months.
Naga representatives have pushed back firmly, claiming that Kuki armed groups deliberately burned houses in Phaimol as a strategic pretext. They allege that armed Kuki elements crossed from a nearby area to launch follow-up attacks on Tangkhul Naga villages, describing the sequence as pre-planned.
Security personnel, including Assam Rifles units, have ramped up patrols and area domination efforts to contain the situation. Similar arson incidents were also reported in Noney district on July 2, where a Kuki village came under attack.
This latest outbreak marks a dangerous new chapter in inter-tribal friction between Kuki and Naga groups, which has been simmering alongside the larger ethnic conflict that erupted in Manipur in May 2023. That broader unrest has already resulted in significant loss of life and displacement across the state.
Both communities are calling for restraint and protection of innocent civilians. Local authorities are investigating the incidents and monitoring the volatile border area closely to prevent any further escalation. The situation on the ground remains tense, with fears that small sparks could lead to wider unrest in the hill districts. Peace appeals have been issued, urging dialogue between the affected groups to halt the destructive cycle of violence.
