Gunfight between NSCN (I-M) and ZUF reported in Noney District

Tension gripped Noney District after a gunfight broke out between cadres of the NSCN (I-M) and the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) at around 10:15 am near Guigairong Village, located about 8 km west of Khoupum Police Station.
According to sources, the exchange of fire erupted suddenly and created panic among villagers in the surrounding areas. The site of the encounter falls in a jurisdictional grey zone between Khoupum Police Station and Nungba Police Station, which initially delayed a clear response from security forces. No casualties or injuries have been officially confirmed so far, and the situation is being closely monitored.
The clash comes amid a fragile security environment in Manipur’s hill districts, where the presence of multiple armed groups has often triggered violent confrontations. Past incidents of hostilities between the NSCN (I-M) and the ZUF have left villages on edge, with civilians bearing the brunt of displacement, intimidation, and the risk of stray violence.
Local residents expressed fear that renewed fighting between the two groups could destabilize the already volatile region. “We just want to live in peace, but every time these groups clash, our lives and livelihoods are put at risk,” said a villager from the area, requesting anonymity.
Security experts note that factional rivalries and competition for territorial control have long fueled clashes between the NSCN (I-M), one of the largest Naga armed groups engaged in talks with the Government of India, and the ZUF, which has maintained its own agenda and influence in parts of Tamenglong and Noney.