The attack targeted fighters of a junta-aligned Kathe Meitie armed group stationed in Nan Han Nwet village. Around 60 Kathe Meities had been part of a military offensive earlier this month before being struck by drones.
BY PC Bureau
At least ten members of a Kathe (Meitei) ethnic armed group allied with the Myanmar junta were killed in a drone strike carried out by resistance forces in Kalay Township, Sagaing Region, according to a statement issued on 23 September by Military Region 1 of the National Unity Government (NUG).
The statement said Kalay District Battalion 4 of the People’s Defence Force (PDF) conducted the attack on 15 September, deploying drones to drop bombs on Kathe fighters stationed in Nan Han Nwet village. In addition to the fatalities, a junta major overseeing the group was reportedly injured in the strike.
The Kathe armed group, comprising around 60 fighters, had been part of a military column that launched an offensive in Nan Saung Pu village on 5 September. Following the drone attack, the unit was reportedly withdrawn to the rear, the NUG statement said.
READ: Mockery of Law and Order’: Militant Groups Vow to Monitor Imphal Hospitals
According to the statement, approximately 30 Kathe fighters, led by a captain, are currently undergoing officer training at Military Training Depot 10 in Kalay Township.
NUG-led Pro Democracy forces in Myanmar reported that they wiped out an entire unit of Meitei Terrorists in a drone attack in Sagaing’s Kale Township on Sept 15. Around 130 Strong coalition of Junta Conscripts, Meitei-Shan-NSCN Terrorists had launched a joint offensive into Kaley… https://t.co/bHCMW8Cbhm pic.twitter.com/oGBAS4L3VO
— J Shakur (@JShakurB) September 24, 2025
Locals say the Kathe group entered Kalay in August via river from Homalin Township, where they had repeatedly clashed with resistance forces in Hkamti District. The group has long been based in He Zin village, Tamu District, and is reportedly involved in drug and weapons trafficking.
Alongside the Kathe, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) has also engaged in operations against junta forces in Tamu and Hkamti districts.
READ:Â UNC Joins Kuki Tribes in Rejecting Manipur Land Law
The Kathe are a diaspora Meitei community in Myanmar, primarily in Sagaing Region (Kalay, Tamu, Homalin areas). They migrated over centuries, often for trade, political reasons, or during periods of upheaval in Manipur. They retain the Meitei language, cultural practices, and some religious traditions, but over generations, local influences have also shaped their identity.
Earlier this year, the Chief of Staff of the Indian Army reportedly met with the commander of the junta’s Bureau of Special Operations 1. Sources said both sides have conducted joint exercises and cooperated in military technology, aircraft, and drone supplies
