The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) has condemned an attack on the Kuki-Zo village of Kharam Vaiphei in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district, calling for authorities to identify and apprehend the assailants to prevent further escalation of conflict. Armed attackers launched a coordinated assault using bombs and gunfire, causing panic among residents and prompting many to seek safety. While there have been no reported casualties, CoTU noted damage to several houses and warned that a major tragedy was narrowly avoided. The committee highlighted that the village has been frequently targeted since ethnic violence erupted on May 3, 2023, and remains under constant threat from armed groups nearby.
CoTU specifically pointed to the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF), Kamson faction, operating with impunity and linked to valley-based insurgent networks, as perpetrators behind the violence. The committee accused these groups of fostering hostility against the Kuki-Zo community through inflammatory narratives. Additionally, CoTU raised alarms about reports of the kidnapping of an elderly civilian, condemning it as a dangerous misuse of vigilante authority that incites fear and psychological distress among local residents.