Three individuals were killed in a pre-dawn gunfight in Noney district, Manipur, involving suspected cadres from the NSCN-IM and ZUF-J militant factions. Police stated that while the specific affiliation of the victims could not be immediately confirmed, the ZUF-J organization later claimed two of the deceased were its members and accused a joint operation by NSCN-IM, NSCN-K, and local gangs of carrying out the attack. Local community organizations appealed to the armed groups to cease hostilities following the incident. In a related event, unidentified gunmen opened fire on a passenger vehicle on National Highway 202 in Ukhrul district, though no injuries were reported. Authorities have since deployed additional security forces to the region to maintain order.
Bias read (Center): The report relies exclusively on official police statements and direct quotes from the militant group, presenting conflicting claims regarding responsibility without using loaded language or editorializing.




