Imphal: Four Nagas were killed in a cross-border attack at Pilong, a Tangkhul Naga village near the Indo-Myanmar border in Manipur’s Kamjong district, on Thursday afternoon, according to the Working Committee of Tangkhul Naga Long (WC-TNL).
The Naga organisation alleged that members of the Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B) and Kuki elements backed by the Myanmar-based People’s Defence Force (PDF) carried out the attack.
In a statement issued on Friday, the WC-TNL said two residents were shot dead near the village, while two others were allegedly taken to adjoining Phailen and killed by the attackers.
The organisation identified the deceased as Betterson Jajo of Kangpat Khunou; Vareishim Jajo and Phami Jajo, father-son duo from Kangpat Khullen; and Ningthem Kashak, a resident of Zingsui village.
“A Kuki terror group armed heavily with sophisticated weapons crossed the Namya River from Phailen Kuki village of Myanmar and launched a violent attack on Pilong civilians,” the WC-TNL alleged.
The organisation said five civilians were keeping watch at the Pilong settlement when the attack took place. One of them, Akhan Kaping of Hunphun village in Ukhrul district, escaped and was rescued by a team of Tangkhul civil society organisations at around 9.45 pm.
The WC-TNL said the incident was the third such attack on Naga villagers along the Indo-Myanmar border in Kamjong district.
The organisation held the state government responsible for the killings and alleged that the state government and border security forces, including the Assam Rifles, had failed to protect villagers living along the border.