Manipur violence: Suspected armed miscreants ambush Assam Rifles in Tengnoupal, PLA claims responsibility

Amid the ongoing ethnic rift in Manipur, valley-based insurgent groups, or the VBIGs allegedly attacked Assam Rifles on November 16, in a Kuki-Zo-dominated Tengnoupal District.

Meanwhile, the Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal has also condemned the attack in the strongest terms.

The attack on the 20 Assam Rifles came barely three days after the Ministry of Home Affairs declared several Meitei militant groups outlawed.

It is to be mentioned here that after the incident reinforcement arrived and conducted a search operation to sanitize the area and also neutralize the area.

The Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal stated that suspected armed militants ambushed a troop of 20 Assam Rifles by planting and exploding two powerful Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the Saibol area of Tengnoupal District this morning at around 9:30 a.m.

It stated that the terrorists opened fire on the Assam Rifles following which the AR retaliated.

It also stated that these extremists based in Myanmar soil were allegedly funded by the Manipur state government with funds given by the Centre which is meant for the hill tribal people of Manipur.

"An Indian Aadhaar Card of one Moirangthem Premananda was among the items seized by the People's Defence Force (PDF) when they captured the camps of the combined forces of Myanmar Junta Army and extremists in Tamu District, Myanmar a few days ago", it stated.

The KIT went to states that taking advantage of the porous border, these Meitei terrorist groups had been carrying out terror activities on Assam Rifles and Kuki-Zo civilians for decades.

While the attack was suspected to be the handiwork of armed militants, several Imphal-based media had implicated an SoO group UKLF over the incident, it stated.

Cautioning the alleged Myanmar-based terror groups to stop such activities and leave the Kuki-Zo areas immediately, the Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal (KIT) stated that if they have the guts to challenge the Indian government they are free to do so in their Kangleipak - the Imphal valley.

The KIT also stated that several media houses that often dragged the Kuki-Zo community into such incidents are nothing but media houses without media ethics and mouthpieces of the terrorist groups.

Attacking Indian Security forces in Kuki-Zo areas and implicating the Kuki SoO groups by these terrorists and media is also showing their evil desire to create a rift between Assam Rifles and the Kuki-Zo community and to derail the SoO agreement, it stated.

While calling upon all authorities concerned to work in a close concert in order to bring the perpetrators of this dastardly attack to justice, the KIT further stated that such attacks on Indian Security forces performing their national duty must be dealt with with an iron fist.

On the otherhand, the People's Liberation Army or the PLA claimed hands on the attack of the Assam Rifles on their official page stating that, "At approximately 8 am today, the valiant troops of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) ardently discharged their revolutionary duties amidst a tumultuous clash of heavy gunfire and bomb exchanges with the Indian Occupational Force, specifically the Assam Rifle. This intense encounter unfolded at the strategic juncture of Narum and Saibol, situated in Tengnoupal District, just 20 km away from the town of Moreh. Stay tuned for additional updates as the situation develops".