Manipur: Kuki Independent Army militants loot arms and ammunition from SoO camp

In a recent incident in Manipur, suspected Kuki Independent Army (KIA) militants reportedly looted arms and ammunition from a designated camp that was established under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement in Churachandpur district. The district shares a border with Myanmar and is known to be a hotbed of militant activities.

According to reports, the Horep designated camp, located in Churachandpur district bordering Myanmar, was attacked by suspected Kuki Independent Army (KIA) militants. The camp is considered a Suspension of Operation (SoO) designated place where cadres of militant outfits, with which the government has signed a suspension of operation, stay.

The KIA militants, who overpowered those present in the camp, looted a significant number of sophisticated arms and weapons, including explosives, at around 1 am, said a police officer. Despite the authorities' extensive search efforts, including wide-scale combing operations launched in routes along which the militants might have fled, no arrests have been made.

The incident occurred a few days after the state government declared the self-styled 'Commander-in-chief' of KIA, Thangkhongam Haokip, as "Wanted" for his involvement in "frequent kidnapping for ransom/extortion/bombing cases." To gather information about his whereabouts, the state has announced a reward of Rs. 50,000.

It's essential to note that the state government has established at least 14 designated camps for SoO militants in various hill districts of the state to house cadres of the tribal outfits under specific ground rules. The state government is currently observing tripartite talks with at least 25 Kuki underground outfits along with the Central government. The SoO pact was initially signed in 2008 for initiating political talks and is broadly divided into umbrella groups of Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People's Front (UPF).

However, in March, the state government withdrew from the Suspension of Operations agreement with Kuki National Army and Zomi Revolutionary Army, alleging their involvement in agitation against the state government's measures to check the encroachment of forest areas.