“Land, Legitimacy and Armed Presence: How Kuki Claims and Encroachments Set the Stage for another Gunfight with Nagas in Manipur”, Hindu Voice, January 08, 2026
“A fresh gunfight in Manipur’s volatile hill districts has underscored how disputes over land, governance and armed authority are converging into a dangerous flashpoint.
The Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF), an armed group representing Zeliangrong interests, has claimed responsibility for a military operation targeting what it described as Kuki underground camps near Kharam Vaiphei village in Kangpokpi district. According to ZUF’s statement, the exchange of fire resulted in serious injuries to at least two Kuki terrorists. Independent verification of the claims remains unavailable at the time of reporting
In a detailed justification issued after the incident, ZUF said that their military wing was “compelled” to take action after repeated grievances went unaddressed. Central to its argument is a longstanding dispute over ancestral land ownership. ZUF alleges that demands for a separate administrative arrangement by Kuki groups extend into territories the Zeliangrong community considers historically and culturally its own……”
Read full article at hinduvoice.in
