Counter-insurgency operations were still underway in Manipur’s Chandel where 10 militants were killed.
Imphal, May 15 (IANS) Counter-insurgency operations were still underway on Thursday afternoon after the Assam Rifles gunned down 10 militants in an encounter in southern Manipur’s Chandel district, which shares borders with Myanmar, officials said.
Officials in Imphal said that the Assam Rifles unit under Spear Corps launched an operation on Wednesday and the counter-insurgency operations is still continuing in the mountainous terrain of Chandel district, 130 km from the state capital that has scant human habitation.
Security forces in the past 24 hours arrested seven ultras belonging to various banned militant outfits from different districts of Manipur.
Indian Army’s Eastern Command earlier said that acting on specific Intelligence on movement of armed cadres near New Samtal village, Khengjoy Tehsil under Chandel district along the India-Myanmar border, Assam Rifles troops under Spear Corps launched an operation on Wednesday.
“During the operation, the troops were fired upon by suspected cadres to which they quickly reacted, redeployed and retaliated in a calibrated and measured manner. In the ensuing firefight 10 cadres were neutralised and a sizeable quantity of arms and ammunition have been recovered,” Army’s Eastern Command said in a post on the X handle.
The identities of the slain militants have not yet been disclosed. The operation marks a major blow to insurgent activities in the mountainous region of the trouble-torn Manipur.
Counter-insurgency ops still on after 10 militants killed by Assam Rifles in Chandel
· Counter-insurgency operations were still underway on Thursday afternoon after the Assam Rifles gunned down 10 militants in an encounter in southern Manipur’s Chandel district, which shares… pic.twitter.com/pkYrQpYfsf
— IANS (@ians_india) May 15, 2025
Hilly Chandel is inhabited by tribals of different ethnic groups including Nagas.
Manipur has a 398-km-long unfenced International Border with Myanmar.
Border Road Organisation (BRO) started work last year to fence the challenging frontiers.
Thursday’s operation against the militants is one of the major counter- insurgency operations after the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023 between the non-tribal Meitei and Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribals.
Meanwhile, in separate developments, security forces arrested seven militants belonging to various banned militant outfits from different districts of Manipur.
A police official said that the seven extremists were arrested from five districts — Thoubal, Imphal West, Kakching, Bishnupur and Churachandpur.
The seven arrested guerrillas belong to the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and Khonoma Khaccha Land Army (CKLA)/United People’s Liberation Front (UPLF).
The police official said that the guerrillas were involved in abduction, various crimes, forcible collection of money from contractors, traders, government employees, common men and others.
Some arms and ammunition, Aadhaar cards, some incriminating documents and various other materials were recovered from the 14 arrested militants.
The combined security forces have continued search operations and area domination in the fringe and vulnerable areas of hill and valley districts.
Assam Rifles kill 10 militants in fierce gunbattle in Manipur; operation underway
Imphal, May 15 (IANS) In a major counter-insurgency operation, at least 10 militants were killed during a fierce encounter with the Assam Rifles in Manipur’s Chandel district, as security forces continue their intensified crackdown on insurgent groups across the state.
The operation, which started on Wednesday, is still ongoing and has also led to the recovery of a significant cache of arms and ammunition from the site, officials said.
Officials said that the encounter occurred near New Samtal village in the Khengjoy area of Chandel district, close to the Indo-Myanmar border, after troops detected suspicious movement of armed militants.
As the forces moved in, the militants opened fire, prompting the troops to respond decisively.
“Acting on specific Intelligence on movement of armed cadres near the New Samtal village, Khengjoy tehsil, Chandel district, close to the Indo-Myanmar border, Assam Rifles unit under Spear Corps launched an operation on May 14,” the Indian Army’s Eastern Command said in an official statement.
“During the operation, the troops were fired upon by suspected cadres to which they quickly reacted, redeployed and retaliated in a calibrated and measured manner. In the ensuing firefight, 10 cadres were neutralised and a sizeable quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered,” the statement added.
While the identities of the slain militants have not yet been disclosed, officials have indicated that the operation marks a major blow to insurgent activities in the region.
This encounter comes amid heightened anti-insurgency operations across Manipur targeting various militant groups operating in the state.
On the same day, a joint operation by combined security forces led to the arrest of 14 militants belonging to banned extremist outfits, along with the detention of three illegal arms dealers.
The arrests were made in coordinated raids across four districts — Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur, and Tengnoupal — over a span of 24 hours.
According to police officials, the arrested militants are members of four proscribed groups: Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), People’s Liberation Army (PLA), People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), and Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP).
These groups have long been associated with insurgent activities in the region.
The militants were reportedly involved in various criminal acts, including abduction, extortion from contractors, government employees, traders, and the general public.
“They were also linked to violent crimes and have been threatening public peace,” a senior police official said.
During the course of the crackdown, security personnel recovered a number of arms and ammunition, along with Aadhaar cards, incriminating documents, and other materials from the arrested individuals.
This recent spate of arrests and neutralisations comes as part of a broader offensive by security agencies in Manipur aimed at dismantling insurgent networks and curbing militant violence in the state.
–IANS
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