Fresh violence erupted in Kamjong district in the early hours of May 7, with multiple villages reportedly attacked and set on fire. Residents fled into nearby forests as reports of coordinated assaults and possible drone use raised alarm in the conflict-hit border belt.
BY PC Bureau
May 7, 2026 — The Kuki National Army–B (KNA-B) has strongly denied any involvement in the reported arson attacks on Tangkhul Naga villages in Manipur’s Kamjong district early Wednesday morning, rejecting the accusations as “false and malicious” and warning against what it termed irresponsible reporting.
In a statement , the group said: “KNA-B debunks the false and malicious reports blaming us for the arson in Namlee, Choro, and Wanglee village of Kamjong district this morning.”
The outfit asserted that it does not operate within Indian territory and accused sections of the media of circulating unverified claims that it said were fuelling tension in an already volatile region.
“Such reckless reporting only fuels paranoia, consternation, and further instability in an already fragile region,” the statement said.
Reiterating its stated political objective, the KNA-B said its operations are focused on Myanmar and urged restraint among communities in Manipur’s hill districts.
“We are committed to restoring democracy in Myanmar and have consistently called for peace and dialogue among all parties,” it said, adding, “Do not mistake our strategic patience for an absence of power, nor our focus on justice in Myanmar for a blindness to daggers thrown at our back.”
The group further appealed to the Tangkhul community to refrain from spreading “baseless information” and urged reliance on verified facts. The statement was issued by the Ministry of Information and Publicity of the KNO/KNA-B on May 7, 2026.
Fresh Violence in Kamjong District
Tensions escalated sharply in Manipur’s hill districts in the early hours of May 7, when suspected militants reportedly launched coordinated attacks on several villages along the Indo-Myanmar border.
According to local sources, the incidents occurred between approximately 2:00 am and 4:00 am in Namlee Market, Choro (Aloyo), Wanglee, Ashang Khullen (KAKA), and adjoining areas under Kamjong district. Multiple houses were set ablaze, forcing residents — including women, children, and the elderly — to flee into nearby forests.
Unverified reports also suggested the possible use of drones during the attacks, raising concerns over increasingly sophisticated militant tactics in the conflict-prone border region. Some local accounts allege the attackers may have crossed over from Myanmar.
Tangkhul Groups Accuse KNA-B of Cross-Border Attack
The Tangkhul Aze Katamnao Long (TAKL) and the Southern Tangkhul Students’ Union strongly condemned the violence, describing it as a “cross-border invasion” allegedly carried out by KNA-B militants.
In a statement issued from Irong on May 7, TAKL claimed that nearly 100 armed militants crossed the Indo-Myanmar border and carried out coordinated assaults, including indiscriminate firing and deliberate arson targeting Tangkhul settlements.
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The organisation also criticised Central Security Forces, alleging that personnel had visited the area a day earlier but failed to prevent the attack. It further alleged possible facilitation by “Kuki narco-terrorists,” though no independent verification of these claims is available.
Expressing deep mistrust in central forces, TAKL said the Tangkhul Naga community has “completely lost confidence” in their ability to ensure protection in the region.
Key demands raised by TAKL include:
Immediate deployment of Manipur State Police and state commandos, described as the only trusted security force.
A transparent investigation into how armed militants allegedly crossed the international border undetected.
Urgent relief, rehabilitation, and security for displaced villagers currently sheltering in forests.
Priority protection for indigenous border communities.
The students’ body warned that it “will not tolerate continued victimisation” of Tangkhul border residents.
Background: KNA-B and the Regional Conflict Context
The Kuki National Army (Burma), commonly known as KNA-B, is an ethnic armed organisation operating primarily in Myanmar’s Chin State and along parts of the India–Myanmar border. It is not recognised by Indian authorities and functions within the broader matrix of Myanmar’s fragmented ethnic armed landscape.
The group has been involved in Myanmar’s internal ethnic conflict dynamics, which include multiple armed organisations, shifting alliances, and long-standing tensions with the central military administration. Its presence along border areas has periodically raised concerns among Indian security agencies regarding cross-border movement and spillover effects.
The latest violence comes amid heightened ethnic tensions in Manipur’s hill districts, particularly the Kamjong–Ukhrul belt, where both Kuki and Tangkhul communities have reported incidents of arson, displacement, and retaliatory accusations between May 6 and 7, 2026.
