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From Meitei-Kuki to Naga-Kuki: Conflict widens across Manipur's hills & valley
The ethnic unrest in Manipur has broadened from Meitei-Kuki clashes to include Naga groups, with renewed hostilities in Ukhrul, Kangpokpi, Noney, and Kamjong districts. The conflict intensified after a February assault in Litan and escalated with killings on May 13, including three Kuki-Zo church leaders and a Chiru Naga, with various groups blaming each other.
Why It Matters
The widening fault lines risk a prolonged, multi-ethnic conflict in Manipur, potentially drawing in external actors and threatening regional stability.
Timeline
5 Events
1993-1998: Major Kuki-Naga clashes in Manipur
1993-1998
Historically, Manipur experienced one of the worst inter-tribal conflicts when Kuki clashed with Naga communities between 1993 and 1998, which claimed over 1,000 lives, destroyed villages, and displaced thousands.
May 13, 2026: Chiru Naga shot dead in Noney district
May 13, 2026
Within hours of the Kangpokpi killings, a Chiru Naga was shot dead in Noney district. Naga groups alleged the act was carried out by Kuki-Zo militants in retaliation.
May 13, 2026: Killing of three Kuki-Zo Church leaders in Kangpokpi
May 13, 2026
Three Kuki-Zo Church leaders were killed in Kangpokpi. The Kuki-Zo community alleged that the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) was behind the killings, while the ZUF-Kamson faction denied involvement.
May 7, 2026: Myanmar-based Kuki National Army-Burma incursions into Kamjong
May 7, 2026
Defense sources confirmed the incursion of Myanmar’s Kuki National Army-Burma into Kamjong district, where they attacked three Tangkhul Naga villages along the India-Myanmar border. KNA-B reportedly worked with the anti-junta Village Volunteers Eastern Zone in these attacks.
February 2026: Tangkhul Naga attacked by Kuki youths in Litan, Ukhrul district
February 2026
In Litan, Ukhrul district, a Tangkhul Naga was assaulted by Kuki youths in a drunken brawl. The incident marked the early flare-up in the Tangkhul Naga and Kuki-Zo communities, with reports that casualties have occurred on both sides since then.