In the biggest attack on the Indian army in recent years, armed militants ambushed a convoy on 4 June 2015 in Manipur’s Chandel district, which borders Myanmar. At least 18 soldiers were killed, while 11 were injured. The attack has forced the government to redraw its strategy to contain militancy in the state.
A combined group comprising the Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K)—a Myanmar-based insurgent group also active in the northeast of India—the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) and a faction of the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), both of which are insurgent groups from Manipur, have claimed responsibility for the attack in a joint press release that was sent on 4 June 2015.
The involvement of the KYKL in the act has raised eyebrows since it has never been a part of any large-scale armed operation since its inception in 1994, when Namoijam Oken, its chairman walked out of the United National Liberation Front—an insurgent group based in Manipur. He went on to form the KYKL with senior functionaries from two other outfits from Manipur. The organisation's focus has always been to rebuild Manipuri society by ridding it of vices such as immoral activities, drug trade and corruption. It has primarily been known for its role in cultural policing in the state.
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