Imphal: At least 10 militants were gunned down in an intense firefight with an Assam Rifles unit in Chandel district of Manipur on Wednesday, officials confirmed. The operation is still ongoing in the volatile border area.
According to the Army’s Eastern Command, the encounter broke out near New Samtal village in Khengjoy tehsil, close to the Indo-Myanmar border, following specific intelligence inputs on the movement of armed cadres in the region.
In a post on X, the Eastern Command stated: “Acting on specific intelligence on movement of armed cadres near the New Samtal village… Assam Rifles unit under Spear Corps launched an operation on May 14… During the operation, the troops were fired upon by suspected cadres to which they quickly reacted, redeployed and retaliated in a calibrated and measured manner. In the ensuing firefight, 10 cadres were neutralised and a sizeable quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered.”
The encounter underscores the continuing volatility in Manipur’s border districts, which have seen increased militant activity in recent months. More details are awaited as the operation remains in progress.