The Working Committee of Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) has alleged that armed offensive by Kuki militants operating under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) arrangement has targeted Tangkhul Naga civilians and commuters travelling along National Highway 202-A since violent conflict erupted at Litan in Ukhrul district on February 7, 2026.
In a statement issued by its Media Cell on Sunday, the Working Committee said the latest incident, described as “mindless and highly condemnable,” occurred on Saturday and was carried out from Yaolen, a Kuki village across the Thoubal river from TM Kasom village in the district.
Highway cut off
According to TNL, at around 11:30 am on Saturday, civilian vehicles travelling along NH 202-A between TM Kasom and New Heaven came under heavy firing from “sophisticated weapons,” disrupting movement and bringing it to a standstill.
The statement continued that moments later, the Kuki militants launched an offensive against TM Kasom, describing it as a neighbouring Tangkhul Naga village, and said the attack was mounted from Yaolen, where, TNL claimed, there is a considerable presence of Central security forces meant to protect Kuki villages.
TNL said the National Highway 202-A, described as an arterial lifeline connecting Ukhrul and Kamjong, has been cut off for nearly three months. It attributed the disruption to a continuing pattern of violence, including hijacking of civilian vehicles, abduction of passengers, extortion, armed attacks that it said resulted in the deaths of two civilians, and what it called the wilful imposition of blockade.
TNL questions CFs’ role
The statement posed sharp questions to both the State and Central governments. It asked why Central security forces stationed in and around Kuki villages are allegedly giving SoO militants a “free hand” to attack civilians in their presence, and why security personnel are not taking measures to intervene and stop armed actions.
TNL also questioned whether forces posted at Kuki villages are acting in collusion with Kuki militants, whom it described as proxy actors, along with allegations involving narco-terrorists and illegal immigrant Kukis, stating that such elements are used to harass and attack Tangkhul Naga civilians.
Biased actions
Alongside the highway allegations, TNL highlighted another incident on Sunday, May 3, 2026. It alleged that troops from an Assam Rifles outpost at Leingaching (Laho) destroyed bunkers set up by village volunteers at New Heaven along NH 202-A.
TNL said the Naga community has no objection if such action is meant to restore peace, but it accused Assam Rifles of refusing to act on requests from TM Kasom villagers to implement similar measures at Yaolen, which it described as a hotspot for attacks on civilians and vehicles along the highway corridor linking Imphal from Ukhrul and Kamjong.
Call for end to ‘proxy war‘
TNL said the Tangkhul Naga community has been tolerant while closely observing what it described as biased actions by Central security forces. It urged State and Central authorities to make their stand clear, rectify the behaviour and intention of their forces, and stop what it termed a proxy war being waged against the Nagas.
The committee warned that the situation could spiral out of control without corrective action.
