Armed assailants kill three in Manipur tribal region

In a horrifying dawn assault today, unidentified gunmen suspected to be members of banned terrorist organisations, unleashed violence in Kangpokpi district, Manipur, killing three individuals from the tribal community.
The incident transpired amidst the villages of Ireng and Karam Vaiphei in the tribal-centric Kanggui region. The victims, journeying from Ponlen to Lemakong on a 19-km hill road often used by locals, were intercepted and brutally attacked near the Singhda dam.
Following the attack, security forces swiftly mobilised to the location, finding the victims dead on arrival. Manipur Police have taken command of the ongoing investigation. The assailants, believed to have been armed with automatic weapons, fled the scene before security forces arrived.
Tensions have escalated in the region since May, with tribal communities avoiding the valley routes for fear of violence. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) and the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU) have fiercely condemned the attack, urging for a stronger government stance, including potentially invoking the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the valley, a move supported by many in the security establishment to curb recurring violent outbreaks.