Manipur ambush: Amid Army operation, focus on villages rife with militancy

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Chassad village, the sub-divisional headquarter of Ukhrul district and also the operating base of 44 Assam Rifles, has seen several attacks on Assam Rifles by militant groups — the most recent being in March this year.

In March, militants ambushed a foot patrol team of 44 Assam Rifles here killing two jawans.

“There are a group of villages on the Ukhrul-Myanmar border that are rife with militant activity. The underground groups move freely here and travel frequently from their camps in Myanmar, right up to Griham village, which is well within the Indian border,” said a source.

“There are frequent attacks on the security forces here. But the groups behind the attacks are all valley groups, which have a large presence across the border near Ukhrul — primarily the UNLF, which is the strongest in the area, and also the KYKL,’’ the source claimed.

This particular belt, including Phaikoh, Konkang and Aishi villages, is highly sensitive and witnesses regular attacks on the Assam Rifles.

Security experts in Manipur claim that Chorokhurnao village in Ukhrul was, in all probability, used by the insurgents — who attacked 6 Dogra regiment on June 4 — as a passage to Paornol in Chandel, as it is the shortest and safest route to the location of the ambush.

These villages are believed to be controlled by the Manipur Naga People’s Front (MNPF), which does not have cordial relations either with the NSCN(IM) or with the Khaplang faction.
However, they are known to be close to valley group UNLF.