NVG reports hour-long gunfight near Huimin Thana; one volunteer seriously injured amid continuing violence in Kamjong
UKHRUL, Oct 16 | EKHON: Repeated incidents of armed violence along the India–Myanmar border in Manipur’s Kamjong district have heightened concerns over the security of vulnerable border settlements, with the Naga Village Guard–Eastern Command (NVG-EC) reporting a fresh gunfight near Huimin Thana on Thursday.
According to a press statement issued by the NVG-EC on Friday, its team came under heavy fire from the Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B) and Village Volunteers of Eastern Zone (VVEZ) at around 4.30 pm on October 15 while patrolling near Tangkhul Naga villages along the international border.
The NVG-EC said its personnel retaliated and repelled the armed group in an exchange of fire that lasted about an hour. It claimed that casualties were reported among the opposing group but did not provide details. A civil defence volunteer attached to the NVG-EC sustained serious injuries and was rescued with the assistance of local residents before being taken to Kamjong District Hospital for treatment.
The organisation said its patrols were being conducted in and around Tangkhul Naga villages that had been deserted following an armed attack on July 1.
The latest incident comes amid a series of attacks and killings reported in Kamjong district in recent months. The NVG-EC alleged that armed groups had repeatedly targeted border settlements, citing earlier violence involving the villages of Z. Choro, Wanglee and Namlee on May 7.
It also referred to the killings of four villagers at Pilong on September 24 and two civilians at Ningchou on October 10, which it attributed to KNA-B and VVEZ. The organisation said the incidents had claimed six civilian lives and resulted in the destruction of residential houses and other property across several villages.
The NVG-EC accused the authorities concerned of failing to provide adequate security to residents despite repeated incidents of violence along the border. It called for greater protection of border communities facing continuing insecurity.
The recurring violence has renewed concerns about the safety of settlements along the international frontier, where local communities face the consequences of armed confrontations and displacement.
The NVG-EC warned against further attacks and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting its land, people and identity. It also called on Naga youth to remain united and vigilant amid what it described as a grave threat to their community.
