The operation was launched after intelligence inputs reportedly indicated the presence of a UKNA camp in the area. Troops came under fire while closing in on the camp and retaliated with controlled fire, Assam Rifles said
BY PC Bureau
September 6, 2026: Two cadres of the United Kuki National Army (UKNA) were killed and two others injured in a joint counter-insurgency operation by the Indian Army and Assam Rifles in the jungles near Phaibong village in Henglep subdivision of Manipur’s Churachandpur district, security officials said.
The operation was launched following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of a UKNA camp in the area, where cadres were reportedly equipped with automatic weapons. According to the Assam Rifles, the joint team began surveillance of the suspected camp after launching the operation on the night of August 29 and commenced a tactical closing-in at around 5 am on September 2.
The security forces said the UKNA cadres opened fire at about 5.30 am when troops approached the camp. The troops retaliated with controlled fire, triggering an exchange of fire during which two cadres were killed and two others sustained injuries.
The Assam Rifles said several other cadres managed to flee into the dense surrounding vegetation and that operations were continuing to track them down.
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A search of the camp following the encounter led to the recovery of a substantial quantity of arms, ammunition and other military stores. The seizure included two 5.56 mm MA rifles, one 7.62 mm AK-56 rifle and one 40 mm Lathode gun, besides seven Lathod grenades and 15 AK magazines.
Security forces also recovered 371 rounds of AK-56 ammunition, 601 rounds for MA rifles and 172 SLR rounds, along with 15 combat uniforms, seven ammunition pouches, five backpacks, three combat bags and five pairs of jungle shoes.
ASSAM RIFLES AND INDIAN ARMY STRIKE UKNA CAMP IN CHURACHANDPUR, NEUTRALISE 2 CADRES AND RECOVER ARMS#AssamRifles and #IndianArmy launched a joint operation based on specific intelligence input on the night of 29 Aug 2026 in Phaibong village, Henglep Sub-Division, Churachandpur.… pic.twitter.com/DE2Fy1Vh60
— The Assam Rifles (@official_dgar) September 5, 2026
The Assam Rifles said the recovery indicated the presence of an armed camp equipped with automatic weapons in the remote and heavily forested terrain.
The operation was conducted by a joint team of the Army and Assam Rifles under the operational control of IG Assam Rifles (South). In a statement, the force said the action was based on specific intelligence regarding the UKNA camp and that troops encountered armed resistance while attempting to close in on the suspected hideout.
The UKNA is a Kuki armed group that is not a signatory to the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the government. The latest operation comes amid continuing security operations against armed groups operating outside the SoO framework in the hill districts of Manipur.
The Assam Rifles and Army have stepped up intelligence-based operations in several areas of Manipur as security forces continue efforts to locate armed cadres and recover weapons from camps and hideouts.
In June, security forces had also conducted an operation in the Henglep subdivision based on intelligence about UKNA movement, in which one armed cadre was killed and fortified bunkers and weapons were subsequently recovered.
The latest operation underscores the continuing security challenge in the remote hill areas of Churachandpur, where dense forests and difficult terrain provide cover for armed groups. The Assam Rifles said search and combing operations in the Phaibong area were continuing to locate the cadres who escaped after the exchange of fire.
