Imphal, Feb. 3: A week of intense gunfights along the Manipur-Myanmar border has left more than 20 people dead, as clashes between Myanmar-based Kuki National Army (KNA) (Burma) and Manipur-based militant groups, including the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), continue to escalate.

The violence, which local sources suggest is the result of a territorial struggle for area domination, has seen fighting erupt at multiple locations along the Indo-Myanmar border.

On January 27, at the Indo-Myanmar border pillar No. 78, 10 KNA (B) militants were reportedly killed in a fierce exchange of gunfire.

Two days later, another nine deaths were reported on January 29 near Min Thar, a border area in Myanmar close to Manipur's Kamjong district.

Local media reports indicate that, following the gunbattle, the PLA recovered nine bodies of militants, along with sophisticated weapons, live rounds, and lathode guns. However, these findings could not be independently verified by The Assam Tribune.

The gunfire exchange, which began early on January 27, has been reported at no less than five different locations along the border, with intense fighting continuing in multiple regions.

As of January 30, further reports of gun battles were confirmed, with another round of gunfire starting at 3 am on January 31 and lasting until 9 am, resulting in several deaths and injuries.

Local tribal chiefs and sources from the region confirmed that the clashes are ongoing, but the exact death toll and number of injuries remain unclear, as the fighting is between militant groups.

Multiple reports from Imphal-based media have confirmed the deaths of several KNA-B militants in the ongoing clashes since January 27, further adding to the rising tensions along the border.

As of now, there has been no official statement from the concerned authorities regarding the continuing upheavals between the two sides in the border regions of Manipur and Myanmar.

The KNA, a Myanmar-based militant group, has been active in the region since the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état.

In April 2021, they launched an attack on the Myanmar military, killing 18 soldiers. Later, in October 2023, the KNA joined forces with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in an assault that led to the capture of the strategic Aungja base.

In the border areas of Manipur, the KNA-B has been locked in a long-standing confrontation with Meitei and Naga militant groups.

With 398 kilometers of border shared between Manipur and Myanmar, the region remains a hotspot for militant activity, exacerbating tensions and instability.