Manipur on High Alert: Intelligence Warns of 900 Tribal Militants from Myanmar Planning Coordinated Attacks

The office of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has shared a reported intelligence alert with law enforcement regarding the potential influx of around 900 tribal militants from Myanmar, all recently trained in the use of drones, projectiles, and missiles. This group is believed to be preparing for coordinated attacks on villages in the Imphal valley around September 28.

Kuldiep Singh, security adviser to the BJP-led government, stated on Friday, “Until this intelligence input is proven false, we consider it 100% accurate and are preparing accordingly.” He added, “If these events do not occur, it could mean either they didn’t happen or our preventive measures were effective. Either way, we cannot afford to take this lightly.” Singh, who is on deputation to Manipur since ethnic conflicts escalated in mid-2023, noted that a September 16 alert from the Chief Minister’s Office indicated that the militants are organized in units of 30 and are currently positioned on the outskirts, poised for multiple coordinated strikes.

In response, the Manipur Police and Assam Rifles have been placed on high alert across several districts. A strategic operations group convened on September 18, with Singh confirming that planned measures have been communicated to relevant agencies, emphasizing the need to “nip any militant movements in the bud.” The districts under heightened vigilance include Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, Ukhrul, Kamjong, and Pherzawl.

Singh explained that while traditional combing operations focus on confiscating arms, there is now “increased scrutiny” on materials used to manufacture rockets, missiles, drone components, and batteries. District magistrates have been instructed to monitor stocks of explosives among licensed owners, and all roads and villages within a 5 km radius of the hills are being inspected for stockpiles.

Since the onset of the conflict, security forces have seized a total of 2,681 weapons, with one-third recovered from the hills and two-thirds from the valley. Singh remarked that the prevalence of weapons in both regions did not result from looting state armories or police stations; rather, many firearms, including single-barrel and double-barrel breech loaders, were already available prior to the ethnic unrest, with some being legally licensed and others manufactured illegally.