Recent ethnic conflicts have reignited tensions in India’s remote Manipur state. Violence, abductions, and protests are recurring in this troubled region.
Tensions between the Meitei, Kuki, and Naga ethnic groups have escalated. The Kukis and Nagas are in conflict over territorial and residency rights in Manipur’s hilly regions. Over a dozen people have died, including three Kuki church leaders ambushed on May 13. Kidnappings are on the rise.
This is the most severe violence since clashes between the Kukis and Meiteis in May 2023, which resulted in hundreds of deaths. The Indian government deployed paramilitary forces to stabilize the situation, dividing the state into fractured parts.
The Meitei people, based in Imphal and surrounding plains, remain at odds with the Kuki people, residing mainly in the hills. They have established separate safe zones, with tens of thousands displaced. Each group blames the other for new violence.
Barbed wire and armed checkpoints have made movement difficult, complicating reporting efforts. Despite the presence of military forces, the situation remains volatile, affecting all ethnic groups in the area.