Kolkata, Oct 17: Assam Rifles troops, in coordination with Manipur Police, have apprehended five suspected members of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) in Ukhrul district, with security officials suspecting their links to the G-5 conglomerate of insurgent groups.
The arrests were made during an intelligence-based operation, officials said, adding that material seized from the suspects was being examined.
The G-5 is an underground alliance comprising five insurgent outfits — the UNLF, Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) and PREPAK (Pro).
“Despite the peace agreement, some factions of the UNLF, with other members of the G-5 conglomerate, have been involved in issuing threats and making extortion demands. Some members continue to operate along the India-Myanmar border,” an official said.
The official added that several G-5 members were also suspected of recruiting youths in Manipur and sending them to camps in Myanmar for training. Security forces had recently busted one such recruitment module, the official said.
The operation comes amid a security crackdown on members of the G-5 following threats against Shumang Leela drama troupes and participants of the Sangai Festival, officials said. The group had reportedly ordered a one-year ban on the traditional courtyard theatre troupes and festival participants.
Shumang Leela has long served as a platform for social awareness, addressing issues including drug abuse, HIV and insurgency.
The UNLF, founded in 1964, is the oldest valley-based insurgent outfit in Manipur. In November 2023, it signed a peace agreement with the Centre and the Manipur government, agreeing to renounce violence and join the mainstream.
However, security officials have said that some factions and members allegedly continue to engage in unlawful activities alongside other G-5 groups.
Some UNLF cadres have also been reported to have participated in the ethnic violence that has affected Manipur over the past three years. They have been accused of providing logistical and other support to G-5 groups allegedly involved in direct attacks on security forces.
In July this year, an Assam Rifles convoy came under attack in Ukhrul district, near the Myanmar border, killing two soldiers. No group claimed responsibility for the attack, though officials said the possibility of G-5 involvement could not be ruled out.
Security concerns have also persisted in neighbouring Kamjong district, where a suspected militant ambush reportedly left a woman dead and two people missing on Thursday. The incident added to concerns over militant activity and the security situation in Manipur’s hill districts, particularly areas close to the Myanmar border.
IANS