Three Kuki militants killed in Manipur

Imphal | December 5: Three Kuki militants died in a fierce gun battle between two militant groups in Tamenglong district on Thursday, according to delayed reports received.
The reports said that there occurred an encounter between the cadres of Kuki National Front-Military Council (KNF-MC) and that of United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF-UTLA) at a village called Longpi under Nungba police station in Tamenglong district of Manipur on December 3 resulting in the death of three militants hailing from KNF-MC.
The deceased have been identified as one Paotinlam Haokip (30) s/o Nethong Haokip of Churachandpur Nabi village, Haijong Khomangkhong (22) s/o Haijong Khupao and Seithang (27) s/o Seimang of Churachandpur. Paotinlam Haokip was said to be a sergeant of the out. Reports said that the UKLF militants came to the village and carried the attack on the KNF-MC which lasted for about 30 minutes, according to the reports.
The sources said that the UKLF cadres after the attack had taken away the weapons of the rival group on the day. The three dead bodies of the Kuki militants have been deposited today at the morgue of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) cadres carried out an attack at the outpost of 34 Assam Rifles in the adjoining area of Yairipok police station (Thoubal district) and Kasom Khullen subdivision in Ukhrul district. It has been speculated that no casualities occurred in the incident. A source said that the PLA cadres using sophisticated weapons including rocket launchers attacked the Assam Rifles camp at around 6 pm.
However, Assam Rifles source said that two PLA cadres might have been killedc in the incident as the security forces retaliated the ambush. The Assam Rifles source added that two civilians were injured. A massive search operation was conducted on Saturday by the security forces.