Imphal : Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh announced on Sunday that approximately 40 armed militants involved in the torching of houses and firing at civilians have been killed by security forces in an operation aimed at restoring peace to the northeastern state. The region has been plagued by ethnic rioting, and fresh clashes broke out between armed groups and security forces at multiple locations across Manipur on the same day.

During a media interaction at the state secretariat, the Chief Minister stated that the current conflict is not between communities but rather between Kuki militants and security forces. He highlighted instances of armed militants using AK-47s, M-16 rifles, and sniper rifles to fire upon civilians, emphasizing that security forces retaliated against these militants.

Singh appealed to the public not to obstruct the movement of security personnel and urged them to trust the government and support the efforts of the security forces. He reassured the people that the state would not be allowed to disintegrate, expressing determination to overcome the long-standing hardships.

The Chief Minister also informed that many Kuki militants involved in the killing of civilians, property destruction, and arson have been apprehended by the Jat regiment.

Picture courtesy : PTI

The recent clashes, which began in the early hours of Sunday, ensued after the army initiated combing operations to disarm communities and restore peace, according to officials. Women-managed roadblocks have emerged in several areas, causing delays for patrolling army units.

Furthermore, an unverified report indicated that a Meitei group looted arms from the Kakching police station, as per the official statement.

The ethnic clashes, resulting in over 75 fatalities, initially erupted in Manipur following a 'Tribal Solidarity March' held on May 3 by the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Tensions had already escalated due to the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserved forest land, leading to a series of smaller agitations.

To restore normalcy in the state, approximately 140 columns of the Indian Army and Assam Rifles, comprising over 10,000 personnel, along with forces from other paramilitary units, were deployed in Manipur.