2 Assam Rifles soldiers killed in attack in Manipur

Two Assam Rifles soldiers were on Friday killed in an attack in Manipur, according to the Office of Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla.

Confirming the deaths in a statement, Bhalla's office said that he "strongly condemned the attack on security forces this evening in which two brave jawans of the Assam Rifles made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty".

At around 6 pm, unidentified gunmen opened fire at vehicles of Assam Rifles personnel at Nambol Sabal Leikai area in Bishnupur, officials told PTI.

At least one soldier is understood to have been injured.

An official said that Assam Rifles vehicles were travelling towards Bishnupur from Imphal at the time of the attack.

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Since May 2023, Manipur has been in the grips of ethnic violence and tensions between the state's Meitei community that largely lives in the plains and tribal community that largely lives in the hills. Hundreds of people have been killed, including security personnel, and several thousands have been displaced.

Amid ethnic violence, militant groups have mounted a resurgence in Manipur and have carried out numerous attacks. However, attacks on security forces have predated the ongoing violence in the state. In 2021, militants killed Colonel Viplav Tripathi of Assam Rifles, his wife, his son, and four soldiers.