3 killed in early morning firing at Loibol Khullen Kuki village

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jun 5: At least three persons including a husband and wife were killed in a gunfight between unidentified Kuki militant groups at Loibol Khullen village, Kangpokpi district under New Keithelmanbi police station in the wee hours of today.
A gunfight broke out between two Kuki militant groups at the Kuki village at around 4 am.
Intermittent firing continued till 9 am and seven houses were also burnt down by the unknown armed men, sources said.
The deceased persons have been identified as Letkhongam Haokip s/o Manglun Haokip his wife Tinmary Haokip and Jangminlal Haokip s/o Seikhohao Haokip, all from  Loibol Khullen village.
According to the sources, Jangminlal Haokip was the headman of Loibol Khullen village.
The sources said that casualties and injuries resulting from the clash might have been more.
Video clips circulated on social media showed armed men in camouflage uniforms carrying away the bodies of the deceased persons.
While some social media posts claimed that the violent clash that took place at Loibol Khullen village was between KLA and KNF(P),  some other posts said that it was ZUF (K) and NSCN (IM) cadres who attacked the village.
Soon after the gunfight broke out, State and Central security forces rushed to Loibol Khullen village to bring the situation under control.
Security forces also carried out a massive search operation in the nearby areas of Loibol Khullen.
Ukhrul Times reported that a viral video that surfaced on Friday morning, purportedly recorded in the affected village, appears to show armed men amid the violence. In the footage, a man speaking in a Kuki dialect is heard directing another armed individual, saying, “Shoot this side, now that side.” After several shots are fired, the man is heard praising the shooter, saying, “Well done.”
The authenticity of the video and the circumstances surrounding its recording could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report.
Reacting to the attack, the Rongmei Naga Council Manipur (RNCM) expressed deep regret over the incident that occurred in the area between Leibon Kuki village and Pongringlong (Charoipandongba) Part-1, a Naga village in Kangpokpi District. The RNCM accused Kuki militants of being responsible for the attack, claiming that several rounds were indiscriminately fired at around 3.30 am, putting villagers at extreme risk. “Such wilful indulgence, without any concern for public safety and provocation of communal tensions, is unequivocally condemned,” it stated. The RNCM also demanded that the involved parties apologize to the public and cease all acts of hostility that could escalate tensions among communities in the state.
Furthermore, the RNCM appealed to the Government for the immediate removal of all Suspension of Operation (SoO) camps from the region, alleging that militants under the SoO are operating in the vicinity with sophisticated weapons, threatening Naga villagers near illegally farmed poppy plantations in Pongringlong. “The ongoing support for trigger-happy Kuki militants by the security agencies is a serious concern for the Naga villagers in the South-West Foothill areas,” it added.
Additionally, the Coordination Committee Longmai Area, while condemning the attack, has accused Kuki militants of being responsible for the act. It has called on the Government to remove all Suspension of Operation (SoO) camps immediately from the region. “Militants under the SoO are reportedly operating in the area with sophisticated weapons, threatening the Naga villagers of Pongringlong Pondaijang,” it said, while advising the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movements in and around Naga-inhabited villages in the State.