India

Two Kuki-Zo Women Killed in Manipur Attack

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Two Kuki-Zo Women Killed in Manipur Attack
Photo: Officials, quoting locals said, few kutcha farmhouses were also set on fire by the miscreants, and several villagers could not be traced followed the attack. (File Photo)

Two Kuki-Zo women were fatally shot in a remote Kuki settlement in Manipur's Tamenglong district on Tuesday. The incident occurred around 3 PM in Leijangphai near Muktokhal. The victims were identified as Phalneichong (Chonga) Sitlhou, 76, and Kimjalhing (Kimboi) Singson, 30. They were reportedly engaged in farming activities when ambushed by unidentified armed assailants. Singson had recently returned home after completing her nursing course to assist her parents with farming.

Local officials reported that several kutcha farmhouses were set on fire, and some villagers remain untraced following the attack. This incident follows another attack two days prior, where four Kuki-Zo civilians were killed. The Jiribam-Tamenglong region has experienced three attacks this week. On Sunday, four individuals, including two women, were killed and others injured in two separate attacks on Kuki settlements in Longpi and Tollen, also in Tamenglong district.

The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) condemned the attacks, describing them as an alarming pattern of targeting civilians. The Council urged the Manipur government and the Centre to protect vulnerable communities, ensure justice for victims, and take action against armed groups. The KZC also issued a directive instructing Kuki-Zo Civil Society Organisations not to bury victims allegedly killed by a rival (Naga) group. Instead, the remains are to be preserved in cold storage facilities until further instructions from the Council.

Following Sunday's incident, the Naga Village Authority of the Kaimai settlement expressed concern that the attacks by an unidentified group could foster suspicion and division. They called for restraint and urged community leaders and CSOs to promote peace. The settlement of Leijangphai is a contested area between Jiribam and Tamenglong regarding jurisdiction. The ethnic conflict in Manipur, which began in May 2023, has resulted in numerous fatalities and displaced thousands.

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