Manipur security forces seize Kuki-Zo militant camp

Security forces in Manipur have taken control of the Sinai camp in Kangpokpi district following an armed assault that killed three Meitei villagers on October 19. During a raid on the facility, officials discovered that only one registered cadre was present out of an expected strength of 159.

Authorities detained 17 individuals found at the camp who were not identified as cadres covered under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement. These individuals have been remanded to police custody until October 31 as investigations continue into potential impersonation, unauthorized possession of arms, and violations of ground rules. During the operation, security forces seized 24 firearms, 38 magazines, and various quantities of ammunition and explosives.

Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam noted that the tripartite SoO agreement expired in the first week of September and has not yet been extended. In response to the findings at Sinai, security officials announced plans to conduct a state-wide audit of all 14 designated SoO camps to assess compliance and ground realities.