Assam: Hundreds demand peace after gunfight erupts between NSCN (IM) and ZUF
Imphal: Hundreds of tribal people, mostly women, held a nighttime protest march on Monday in Zeikulong (Tokpa Kabui) village, located between Manipur's Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts.
The march, organized by locals, condemned the exchange of gunfire between two Naga insurgent groups currently engaged in peace talks with the government.
The nocturnal rally erupted following a gunfight between cadres of the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland, Issac Muiva (NSCN-IM), which occurred near Zeikulong village on Monday around 1:00 PM.
The clash resulted in minor injuries to two militants.
Security forces deployed in the area conducted a search operation after the incident, but no arrests were reported.
Protestors chanted slogans like "We want peace," "We condemn fighting," and "Both groups must honor early agreements."
The villagers urged the warring groups to refrain from such violence in the future and to respect previous agreements to stay within designated camps to maintain peace in the region.
This is not the first instance of violence between these two groups. Notably, in December 2023, a fierce gunfight in Manipur's Noney district resulted in the deaths of three militants from the same Naga insurgent groups.