The incident underscores the deepening links between Manipur’s ethnic conflict and Myanmar’s civil war, complicating security dynamics along the porous border.
BY PC Bureau
January 1, 2026: Intense fighting broke out early on New Year’s Day in Teijang village, a remote Kuki settlement in Myanmar’s Sagaing Region, after fighters of the Kuki National Army (Burma) — KNA(B) — launched an assault on positions held by Manipur-based insurgent groups, according to sources familiar with the situation.
Gunfire was reported through the morning, with initial casualties confirmed on both sides, though exact numbers could not be independently verified due to the fluid situation and limited communications in the border area.
Teijang lies in Myothit sub-division, about 25 km north of Tamu town and barely one kilometre from the Indo-Myanmar border, opposite Moreh in Manipur. The village has remained largely abandoned since 2024, when residents fled amid escalating violence linked to Myanmar’s civil war. It was later reportedly occupied by insurgent groups operating from Manipur.
Sources said the area had been used as a shelter by outfits such as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Manipur People’s Army (MPA), United National Liberation Front (UNLF), and possibly elements linked to the Pyu Saw Htee, a militia aligned with Myanmar’s military, as well as the Naga group NSCN-IM. These groups are largely drawn from Manipur’s Meitei community and are alleged to have received support from elements within Myanmar’s junta.
The KNA(B), the armed wing of the Kuki National Organisation operating in Myanmar, reportedly launched the attack in the early hours of January 1. The fighting was described as intense, involving sustained small-arms fire and possibly heavier weapons. Casualty details remain sketchy.
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Conflict Spillover From Manipur and Myanmar
The clash highlights the growing entanglement between Manipur’s ethnic conflict and Myanmar’s ongoing civil war. Since May 2023, Manipur has witnessed sustained violence between the majority Meitei community in the valley and Kuki-Zo tribes in the hills, resulting in hundreds of deaths, mass displacement, and an effective ethnic division of the state.
Cross-border insurgent dynamics have further complicated the situation. Valley-based insurgent groups from Manipur are reported to have aligned with Myanmar’s military regime in exchange for shelter and logistical support, while Kuki armed groups, including the KNA(B), have been fighting alongside anti-junta forces, such as the People’s Defence Forces (PDFs) and other ethnic militias.
Similar confrontations were reported in and around Teijang in January 2025, when KNA(B) and allied forces clashed with pro-junta groups, leading to significant casualties and displacement.
Indian security forces, including the Assam Rifles deployed along the porous Indo-Myanmar border, have been placed on heightened alert. The close proximity of the fighting to Indian territory has raised concerns over potential spillover, refugee movement, or escalation affecting border areas of Manipur.
Authorities in both India and Myanmar have yet to issue official statements on the latest clash. With Myanmar’s civil war entering its fifth year following the 2021 military coup, continued instability along the border remains a growing security concern.
As fighting reportedly continues, independent verification remains difficult due to restricted access. Further details are expected as more information emerges from sources on the ground.
