Large-scale anti-insurgency operation launched in Manipur’s Churachandpur district

Security forces on January 16 carried out a large-scale anti-insurgency operation at suspected militant hideouts in the interior areas of Manipur’s Churachandpur district, officials said. 

The coordinated operation was launched in the Henglep area, a remote and forested region of the hill district, based on specific intelligence inputs about militant activity.

Personnel from elite Para Special Forces and the Assam Rifles were deployed as part of a coordinated counter-insurgency operation, targeting suspected hideouts of armed groups operating in the area.

Officials said the region has long been considered a stronghold of militant elements, including the United Kuki National Army (UKNA), a group that is not a signatory to the Suspension of Operations agreement, though it was not immediately clear which group was being specifically targeted in the ongoing operation.

According to officials, troops were inserted deep into the jungle terrain with the assistance of helicopters to effectively comb the difficult and inaccessible areas. The operation focused on forested zones believed to be used as transit camps or hideouts by militants and was part of sustained efforts by security agencies to curb insurgent activities in the hill districts.

Further details regarding recoveries, arrests or encounters were awaited at the time of filing this report.

Manipur has remained volatile following ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meitei groups and hill-based Kuki-Zo communities that erupted in May 2023. Since then, at least 260 people have been killed and thousands displaced from their homes.

The state is currently under President’s Rule, imposed on February 13, 2025, following the resignation of then chief minister N Biren Singh on February 9. Security forces have since intensified operations across sensitive districts to restore law and order and prevent further escalation of violence.