It seems that the second phase of Manipur violence has begun. Kuki-Jo terrorists dropped RPGs at several places in Kotrak, Imphal through high-tech drones. RPG means rocket propelled grenades. At least seven such RPGs were used. High-tech drones do not mean the ones being used by Russia, Ukraine, Israel and Iran.
These are normal quadcopter drones, which are equipped with cameras. Navigation system is installed. They can be easily flown for an hour. The weapons installed in them can be dropped anywhere. But where did the idea of such an attack come from? By watching foreign wars. Actually the story starts from the month of June. That too from Assam.
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On June 14 this year, about 30 km east of Guwahati, a man from Manipur was caught by the police at a toll gate with 10 intelligent flight batteries. The Assam police was shocked by this incident. It seemed that Myanmar, which is battling a civil war, is cooking up something inside India. This suspicion was confirmed when a man was caught carrying drone parts on a two-wheeler in Rupnagar area of Guwahati.
Two stories surfaced in June that indicate the possibility of a drone attack
First the story of the toll gate… 27-year-old Khaigolen Kipgen of Gamangai village in Kangpokpi district of Manipur was caught at Sonapur toll gate, 30 km from Guwahati. He had links with Kuki-Jo terrorists. On the other hand, the drone parts recovered from Sanjib Kumar Mishra in Rupnagar were going to Meitei groups.
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In June, top Assam police officials had admitted that both ethnic groups are arranging drones for their armed squads. There are only two routes for their supply. The first is NH-27 which goes through Nagaland to Manipur. The second is the Silchar route which goes through Assam’s Barak Valley.
Refugees from Myanmar also feared air strikes through drones
A few days before these two incidents, Assam Rifles Director General Lieutenant General Pradip Chandran Nair had said that the 5400 Myanmar refugees present in Kamjong district of Manipur fear air strikes. The apprehension is of some kind of drone attack. Till then, drones had not been used by any ethnic group.
🚩On 30th Aug., we WARNED of high possibility of 2nd round of #ManipurViolence by Myanmar based Kuki Terrorists. Look what they have done in Koutruk in Imphal Valley yesterday (1st Sept.2024). They have used drone to drop bombs in civilian areas and killed a mother and villager,… pic.twitter.com/yYxmiujR01
— Kaito.W (@KaitoMeitei) September 2, 2024
Drone attacks were not being used against ethnic groups. This is the first time that people from the Kuki community dropped RPGs from drones to target the Meitei. Imphal valley is in the centre of Manipur. Kotrak village is also there. In such a situation, these areas are most suitable for drone attacks. These weapons can be easily flown.
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Deadly escalation in Manipur, use of drones and RPGs to target villagers, says police.
“In an unprecedented attack in Koutruk, Imphal West, alleged Kuki militants have deployed numerous RPGs using high-tech drones. While drone bombs have commonly been used in general war fares,…
— ASHUTOSH MISHRA (@JournoAshutosh) September 1, 2024
Some videos are visible on social media platform X. The authenticity of which is not verified by Aajtak. They show how some people are flying a quadcopter with an RPG hanging from it. After that, a video of the attack is made. This means that they may have received training from a professional.
In the last violence, 5600 weapons and 6.5 lakh bullets were looted from the police
Bombs can be dropped from the top of hills and trees. Manipur has been an easy route for terrorists for the last six decades. During the Kuki-Meitei violence last year, 5600 weapons and 6.5 lakh bullets were looted. These weapons were looted from the Manipur Police Armory. So far the police have collected 1757 looted weapons.
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What do drone attacks mean in the Kuki-Meitei ethnic war?
Till last year, drones were used to keep an eye on armed groups in each other’s areas. But the incidents of drone bombing in the last two days are raising serious questions. According to Manipur Police, drones are used in modern warfare but their use against civilians is showing new aggression.
During the aggressive violence in July and August 2023, Pumpi Gun was used to attack each other’s areas with rockets. It was a type of rocket launcher made from homemade pipes. It was also used to throw bombs at each other’s areas over long distances.
Retired Lieutenant General Koshay Himalaya, a resident of Manipur and a veteran of the Kargil war, says that the conflict in Manipur is not just an ethnic conflict. It has gone far beyond the Meitei-Kuki ethnic conflict. This is a warning signal for national security. Drone attacks in the last 48 years should be the biggest concern for the internal security system of our country.
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Where might the Kuki militants have acquired the drone attack technology from?
Retired Lieutenant General Himalaya says that these militants have very close ties with the People’s Defense Force (PDF). These terrorist organizations are against the military junta of neighboring country Myanmar. PDF is known to use drones for attacks against the Myanmar Army.
There is every possibility that such drones made in China are reaching these militants via Myanmar. But the way these drones are being used with local weapons, there is every possibility that foreign powers are also involved in this.
What impact can the drone attack have on Manipur’s security apparatus?
Himalaya says that bombing using sophisticated weapons and drones is a threat to the whole of Manipur. This is a new method of terrorist attack. Security agencies will have to be alert for this. Because this is a big threat not only to Manipur but also to national security. The way terrorist attacks are being carried out with new technology and new methods, security agencies will now have to handle them under a new strategy.
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