A Church leader in India’s Manipur has expressed concern that the latest killings in a fierce gunfight between tribal Kuki militants and security forces may lead to “further escalation of violence” in the troubled northeastern state. At least 11 militants, who were described as “village volunteers” by their tribal body, were killed when security forces claimed to have “repulsed an attack on a police station” by them on Nov. 11. The fresh bout of violence will “increase animosities between rival groups” and “may jeopar-dize the federal government’s initiative to restore peace” in the state, the Church leader who did not want to be named due to security concerns told on Nov. 12.
Government sources said two personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were injured as the militants in camouflage uniforms and arm-ed with sophisticated weapons fired indiscriminately at the Borobekra police station in Jiri-bam district. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) condemned the killings of tribal men and denied the govern-ment’s claim that they were militants. The tribal body in a statement on Nov. 12 expressed deep sorrow over the “tragic loss of our 11 brave voluntee-rs.” The gunfight comes close after the burned corpse of a Kuki woman was found in the district last week. The woman was reportedly killed by Meitei gunmen in Zairawan village on Nov. 7. The ITLF claimed that “the CRPF personnel posted nearby refused to fire even one shot to help the villagers.”