Manipur: Armed militants launch multiple attacks on villages in Imphal East, target civilians

Armed militants launched a series of targeted attacks across Imphal East district early Sunday morning, intensifying violence in the region. Militants attacked multiple villages, including Thamnapokpi, Yaingangpokpi, Sabungkhok and Sanasabi, firing on civilians from hilltops overlooking the valley.

The assault began around 9:30 a.m., with militants firing three rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) toward farmers working in paddy fields near Thamnapokpi. The explosions forced villagers to flee as a barrage of gunfire followed, resulting in an exchange between militants and a joint security team of the Maha Regiment, Border Security Force (BSF), and local police. One personnel from the Maha Regiment sustained an arm injury while retaliating. The skirmish continued until afternoon when security forces managed to bring the situation under control.

Simultaneous attacks were reported in nearby villages of Sabungkhok, Sanasabi and Yaingangpokpi, where militants allegedly fired shots and launched explosives, heightening unrest and spreading fear among residents.

The violence follows a tragic incident on Saturday in Bishnupur district, where a woman farmer was fatally shot by suspected militants in Saiton village. Identified as 34-year-old Sapam Sophia Leima, the victim was reportedly working in a paddy field when militants fired from a nearby location about 100 meters away. Other farmers were forced to flee the scene, leaving Leima’s body in the field for several hours due to safety concerns.