New Delhi: At least four suspected members of the United Kuki National Army (UKNA) were killed in an early morning encounter with the Assam Rifles in Manipur’s Churachandpur district on Tuesday. The operation, carried out around 6 am, targeted militants hiding in a forested area near Khanpi village under Henglep subdivision, located about 80 kilometres west of Churachandpur town.
According to security sources, the action was based on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of armed insurgents in the region. During the operation, troops reportedly recovered firearms and ammunition from the site. The identities of the deceased are yet to be officially confirmed.
The UKNA is known to be a Kuki insurgent group operating outside the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, and it remains active in parts of southern Manipur. The outfit has been linked to sporadic incidents of violence in the hill districts.
Officials described the strike as part of a broader effort to intensify intelligence-led counterinsurgency operations across the State, particularly in sensitive areas where non-SoO groups are believed to be regrouping.
Following the engagement, additional Assam Rifles units and state police personnel have been deployed to the surrounding region to conduct further searches and secure the area.
Authorities have not yet released an official statement on the outcome of the operation or the number of weapons recovered. However, security sources indicated that the encounter marks one of the most significant recent actions against non-SoO militant factions in Manipur’s western hill belt.
