Kuki and Naga armed groups have pushed the conflict into Manipur's remote hill districts, where 97 people have been killed in over 300 incidents since January 1, 2026, ACLED data shows. The violence has concentrated in Ukhrul, Kamjong, Kangpokpi, Noney, Tamenglong and Senapati, sparking a wave of house burnings, targeted killings and road ambushes.
The spark was a February 7 assault on a Tangkhul Naga man by a Kuki gang in Litan Sareikhong, Ukhrul. Within 72 hours, 50 houses were set ablaze, a curfew was imposed, and the entire district went offline as internet services were shut.
September alone saw 19 deaths, and the first half of October added 13 more, with 12 of those killed in Kamjong, Kangpokpi and Ukhrul in two days. Ambushes on Tiger Road, the Imphal‑Tamenglong highway and the Myanmar border have turned the region’s roads into death lanes; a BSF constable and two Naga civilians died on NH‑202.
The United Naga Council blocked NH‑2 on June 11, extended the blockade to NH‑37, NH‑202 and NH‑102A in September, only lifting it after talks on September 26. Meanwhile, Naga bodies blame Kuki‑Zo groups under the 2008 Suspension of Operations pact, while Kuki factions accuse NSCN‑IM and ZUF‑K – no formal inquiry has pinned responsibility.
The state government has tightened security, curfews and internet shutdowns across the affected districts. In the coming days, it will convene a ministerial meeting on November 5 to negotiate a ceasefire with the armed groups, while the central government has pledged to oversee the peace talks.