Dozens of rebel fighters have been killed in clashes with security forces in India’s remote northeastern state of Manipur.
The state has been on edge since the explosion of inter-ethnic violence on May 3 between tribal groups and the ethnic majority Meitei people over plans to extend economic quotas to the Meitei.
Dozens were killed in the unrest and thousands were displaced.
On Sunday, Chief Minister N Biren Singh told reporters at least 40 fighters had been killed in a crackdown by security forces.
Two police had also been killed in the past two days of unrest, he added.
“The terrorists have been using M-16 and AK-47 assault rifles and sniper guns against civilians. They came to many villages to burn down homes,” local media quoted Singh as saying.
“We have started taking very strong action against them with the help of the army and other security forces. We have got reports that some 40 terrorists have been shot dead,” Singh was quoted as saying.
The far-flung states of northeast India – sandwiched between Bangladesh, China and Myanmar – have long been a tinderbox of tensions between different ethnic groups.
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Article URL : https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/29/dozens-killed-in-clashes-with-troops-in-northeastern-india