Two cadres were killed and six others injured in suspected factional clashes between the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) and its splinter groups — ZUF-Jenchui and ZUF-Kamson — in Manipur’s Noney district over the past 24 hours, officials said.
Fresh gunfire erupted around 6 a.m. on Saturday between Nungtek Part II and Haochong, about 5 km northeast of Noney town. Security forces later confirmed that a ZUF-J cadre, identified as Jangailung (29), a self-styled 2nd Lieutenant from Muktina village, was killed, while six others were injured and evacuated to hospitals in Imphal.
The attack, suspected to have been carried out by ZUF-K cadres, involved heavy firing and explosions. The incident followed another clash on Friday at Oktan village under Haochong sub-division, where Dingtiplung Gonmei alias Nguiba Gonmei, the self-styled chief secretary of ZUF-K, was killed.
Authorities fear further escalation of factional violence in the Noney-Haochong area. The Zeliangrong United Front, an armed underground outfit, had entered into a tripartite Cessation of Operations (CoO) agreement with the Centre and the Manipur government in December 2022. A Joint Monitoring Group was formed under the pact to oversee compliance with ground rules.
