Sanakeithel VA questions Kuki militants’ firepower

Mungchan Zimik
UKHRUL, Mar 20: Saying that Kuki militants attacked Sanakeithel (Sinakeithei) village last night with heavy armaments capable of causing large scale destruction, the Sinakeithei Village Authority has questioned how they (Kuki militants) acquired such firepower.
According to a statement issued by Sinakeithei Village Authority, an initial skirmish started at around 11 am on March 19 on the Southeastern flank and it appeared to be a ‘probing attack’ intended to test the village’s defensive readiness. The indiscriminate firing with sophisticated firearms and bombs by Kuki armed militants upon Sanakeithel village demonstrated a structured, multi- phase tactical approach.
After a brief cessation of the attack following retaliation by village volunteers, the engagement transitioned into a coordinated three-pronged aggression from the hill ranges of Mt Iris in the East, Lungter hill slope on the West and the Northernmost ‘vigilance bunker’.
And again at 3.30 pm, static positions in the Lungter foothills bunker provided suppressive fire, facilitating the descent of reinforcements (Kuki mili- tants) from higher-altitude camps in the Lungter hill Range.
The strategic utilization of the Leplen-Tingpibung via Sanakeithel village road as a logistical corridor, confirmed via drone surveillance at sundown, highlights a shift from localized skirmish to a concen- trated mobilization effort.
According to the village authority, the intense shootout persisted with relentless ferocity, stretching well into the night by which time Kuki militants had upgraded to heavy armaments capable of significant destruction, leading to a collective question of how they had acquired such firepower.
This sustained exchange of firing gave way to a brief halt at around 1.30 am  that lasted only a few hours.
The engagement resumed with renewed intensity, signalling a grim continuation of the conflict at the first light of dawn.
The press statement further mentioned that the Manipur Rifles, stationed in Sanakeithel village, demonstrated remarkable tactical discipline and restraint, actively avoiding any engage- ment in all the exchange of fire that had set the tone since the past couple of weeks.
The MR personnel maintained a defensive posture, prioritizing the avoidance of collateral damage in a highly volatile situation. However, as the volume of suppressive gun fire (from Kuki militants) intensified and bullets began striking the camp and surrounding civilian areas, the command shifted from passive defence to active neutralization.
The Manipur Rifles retaliated with precision. Amidst the barrage  of incoming gunfire, they exe- cuted a calculated counter-offensive to suppress the hostile positions, the VA said.
This decisive action was not merely a reaction to the attack on their camp, but a strategic necessity to create a safety perimeter for the civilians caught in the crossfire, effectively halting the advancement of the ‘hostiles’. The civilians, specifically women and chil- dren, are exhibiting symptoms consistent with acute hypersensitivity.
The events of today represent a dangerous inter- section of coordinated military manoeuvres and targe- ted psychological attrition, it added.