Thirteen people were killed in a gunfight between two unnamed armed groups in a village in Manipur's Tengnoupal district, 10 km from the border between India and Myanmar. With almost 180 casualties to date, this was the bloodiest slaughter since the sectarian conflict in the state broke out on May 3.
Manipur police released a statement confirming the firefight and the death toll at Leithao village near Saibol in Tengnoupal district. Police have found the bodies, but did not find any weapons near the deceased.
Security sources said that the deceased are probably ardent supporters of an insurgent group with headquarters in Myanmar, even though official information regarding the identity of the victims and the murderers has not yet been made public.
An estimated 24 members of the gang engaged in a bloody battle early in the morning near the border with suspected cadres of Myanmar's pro-democracy People's Defence Force, according to a security source.
The source said, “The group split into two, with one part returning safely to Myanmar, and the other managing to enter India through the village of Namlee on the international border.” It is speculated that this group was ambushed by rivals from the hills in Leithao, leading to fatalities.
“Armed rebels based in Myanmar have been infiltrating into Manipur through the porous border in large numbers for the past several months taking advantage of the conflict in the state,” the source said. The specific group involved in Monday’s shootout reportedly infiltrated through the jungle route, avoiding security forces in Saibol areas of Tengnoupal district.