Violence escalates in Manipur: Vehicles carrying security forces ambushed; 5 injured

The assailants targeted the vehicles transporting police commandos near the Myanmar border, firing RPGs during a search operation, according to sources. The injured security officials have been hospitalized at the Assam Rifles Hospital for treatment.

In a recent development, Manipur witnessed violence on Tuesday (January 2) after leaving security forces wounded and civilians dead, further exacerbating the region's turmoil. On Tuesday, militants ambushed a convoy carrying police commandos and a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan in Moreh town, injuring four commandos and one BSF personnel. This attack occurred just a day after a tragic clash between unidentified armed miscreants and locals resulted in the death of four civilians in Thoubal district's Lilong area.

The assailants targeted the vehicles transporting police commandos near the Myanmar border, firing RPGs during a search operation, according to sources. The injured security officials have been hospitalized at the Assam Rifles Hospital for treatment.

The situation in Manipur has been fraught with recent incidents of violence, prompting the state government to reinstate curfew in Thoubal and Imphal West districts following Monday's tragic incident. The bodies of the four deceased individuals are yet to be recovered, adding to the distress in the area.

Expressing concern over the escalating violence, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, in a video message, urged the residents of Lilong to refrain from instigating further unrest. He emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in the region and warned of severe consequences for those responsible for the civilians' killings.

Ethnic tensions in Manipur have been simmering since a 'Tribal Solidarity March' last year, protesting the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status in the hill districts. This prolonged strife has claimed over a hundred lives and displaced around 60,000 individuals according to official figures, with unofficial estimates suggesting an even higher toll.