Three civilians were killed in a suspected militant attack in Manipur’s Noney district on Saturday, taking the reported death toll in the ongoing Naga-Kuki clashes to 66. Two other Kuki civilians abducted a day earlier, remain missing.
BY PC Bureau
October 31, 2026: Three Kuki-Zo civilians were killed in a suspected militant attack in Manipur’s Noney district on Saturday, taking the reported death toll in the continuing Naga-Kuki clashes to 66. Two other Kuki civilians, allegedly abducted a day earlier, remain missing, adding to tensions in the state’s hill districts.
The victims were reportedly village volunteers. The attack took place in Noney, a predominantly Naga-inhabited hill district, where tensions between Naga and Kuki groups have escalated amid a series of violent incidents and retaliatory attacks.
Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), the apex Kuki civil society organisation, condemned the killings and alleged that cadres of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), or NSCN-IM, and the Zeliangrong United Front (Kamson faction), or ZUF(K), were responsible. The organisation demanded immediate intervention by the state government and action against those involved.
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The latest killings come amid reports of two community civilians being abducted on Friday. Their whereabouts remain unknown, raising fears of further violence and retaliation. Community representatives have called for their safe release and urged security agencies to intervene.
Security forces have reportedly responded to the situation in the affected area. However, details about the precise location of Saturday’s attack, the sequence of events and the identities of the deceased were not immediately available.
The escalation has deepened concerns over the deteriorating security situation in Manipur’s hill districts, where community tensions have increasingly turned into armed confrontations. The latest incident is likely to intensify demands for stronger security measures and accountability for attacks on civilians.
