Naga Group Releases 14 Kuki-Zo Tribals Held Captive Since May In Manipur
14 Kuki-Zo tribals released in Manipur amid ethnic tensions.
Fourteen Kuki-Zo tribals who had been held captive by a Naga group since mid-May were released on Tuesday in Manipur’s Senapati district and handed over to the chief of Taphou Kuki village, marking a significant development in ongoing tensions between Kuki-Zo and Naga communities in the region.
According to officials and community leaders, the individuals were abducted following a violent incident on May 13 in Kangpokpi district, where three Thadou community church leaders were killed in an ambush. The killings triggered a wave of retaliatory abductions across the state, deepening inter-community tensions and prompting multiple releases and negotiations in subsequent weeks.
The United Naga Council (UNC), the apex Naga civil society organisation in Manipur, said the release of the 14 Kuki-Zo tribals followed assurances from both the state and central governments. These assurances reportedly included efforts to determine the whereabouts and status of six Naga civilians, including two pastors, who were alleged to have been abducted by Kuki groups during the same period of unrest.
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UNC president NG Lorho stated that the decision reflected traditional Naga values and adherence to what he described as humanitarian principles. He added that Naga organisations had earlier planned to release the detainees on June 1 but postponed the move due to internal opposition within the community.
The latest release comes amid a series of reciprocal detentions linked to escalating ethnic violence in Manipur. On the same day as the May 13 killings, a total of 48 individuals—28 from the Kuki community and 20 from the Naga community—were reportedly abducted from different locations, highlighting the rapid deterioration of law and order in affected areas.
Earlier, on May 15, Naga groups released 14 Kuki civilians, while Kuki groups also freed 14 Naga individuals, suggesting ongoing backchannel negotiations between community organisations. Authorities continue to monitor the situation as efforts to restore peace and normalcy in the region remain underway.
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