Armed Militants Torch Border Villages in Manipur’s Kamjong, Residents Flee Into Forests

In a major early morning attack along the India Myanmar border , heavily armed militants targeted villages in Manipur’s Kamjong district , setting houses on fire and forcing residents to flee into nearby forests for safety.

The incident took place around 4 am in the Tangkhul Naga inhabited villages of Namlee, Wanglee, and Choro under the Kasom Khullen police station area , officials said. These border settlements lie less than a kilometre from the international boundary, making them highly vulnerable to cross border movement.

According to police and villagers, armed attackers entered the villages while people were asleep, triggering panic and chaos. Residents ran into nearby forests in the dark to escape the assault. At least one elderly woman sustained injuries while trying to flee.

Several houses were destroyed in the attack. Villagers said two houses in Namlee , three to four houses in Wanglee , and multiple homes in Choro were burnt down. A church in Choro was spared from damage.

Security forces, including the Assam Rifles , later reached the affected areas to assess the situation and begin response measures. However, questions have been raised locally over the timing of the attack and security preparedness in the region.

Phungyar MLA L Keishing alleged that the attack was carried out by armed groups operating from across the border, naming the Kuki National Army Burma (KNA B) and the People’s Defence Force (PDF) . He termed the incident an act of “external aggression” , claiming that around four to five villages were targeted around 3.30 am .

He also stated that two individuals, including a woman, remain untraceable , with eyewitnesses suggesting they may have been taken away by the militants. These claims are yet to be independently verified.

The MLA further criticised the security situation, alleging there was no Manipur Police presence in the affected villages during the attack and questioning the role of central forces.

Meanwhile, the student body Tangkhul Aze Katamnao Long (TAKL) condemned the incident and demanded immediate deployment of Manipur Police commandos , calling it a serious security lapse that allowed armed militants to cross the border and strike civilian areas.