Two IRB Personnel Rescued After Detention by Kuki National Army in Manipur

Incident Overview

Imphal, May 24: Two members of the 11th India Reserve Battalion (IRB), who had gone missing from Huimine Thana in the Kamjong district of Manipur, were safely released on Saturday after a brief detention by the Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B).

The individuals were identified as Thotreimung (Tangkhul) and Pasel Ana, both stationed at Huimine Thana under the Chassad Police Station, which is located near the Indo-Myanmar border, as reported by officials on Sunday.

Sources indicate that the two had departed for a temporary refugee camp at Shangkalok/Kheirongram in Ramphoi village, situated between Border Pillars 100 and 102, when they went missing around 10 am on Saturday, raising alarms among security forces.

Initial reports suggested that the personnel may have inadvertently crossed into Myanmar, where they were detained by KNA-B operatives.

By the evening, the two were released unharmed and handed over to the Assam Rifles at the Indo-Myanmar border. The Assam Rifles unit at Phaikoh subsequently transferred them to the Manipur Police in Kamjong district.

During their detention, the two IRB members were briefly questioned before being released.

After their release, one of the personnel stated that they were unharmed throughout the ordeal. “We are stationed here and were apprehended after crossing into Myanmar. Our brothers from KNA-B (Burma) released us without harm,” Pasel Ana remarked.

The KNA-B later issued a statement asserting that the two men from Manipur had “illegally crossed into Myanmar for illicit activities” and were released “in accordance with the Geneva Conventions.”

This group claims to be a resistance faction operating in parts of Myanmar’s Sagaing Region, west of the Chindwin River.

Huimine Thana, where the two personnel were stationed, is approximately 35 km from the Kamjong district headquarters, near a porous Indo-Myanmar border that has seen increased activity amid ongoing regional unrest.

The Kuki National Army (KNA), the armed wing of the Kuki National Organisation, operates through two branches divided by the international border.

While the Indian wing of the KNA, active in Manipur’s hill districts, is a signatory to the tripartite Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre and the Manipur government, the KNA-B in Myanmar operates independently and has been involved in resistance efforts against Myanmar’s military regime.

This incident occurs against the backdrop of ongoing tensions related to the abduction case in Kangpokpi district, where 14 Kuki villagers are reportedly missing.

In light of this situation, Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh has urged community leaders to work with authorities to ensure the safe return of those who have been abducted.

Sources confirm that the released personnel are not among the 14 individuals reported missing in the hill districts of the state.