NEW DELHI, India: Militants in India’s northeastern Manipur state executed a deadly attack on security forces, using drones to drop explosives—a tactic police have called a “significant escalation” of violence.
On Sunday, a 31-year-old woman was killed and six others, including an eight-year-old girl, were wounded when rebels dropped rocket-propelled grenade heads from drones, marking an unprecedented method in the ongoing conflict.
The ethnic conflict between the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and the mainly Christian Kuki community erupted in May 2023, leaving at least 200 people dead. The violence is rooted in longstanding tensions over land and public job competition, with accusations against local leaders of fueling these divisions for political advantage.
The recent drone attack occurred outside Manipur’s capital, Imphal, and was reportedly carried out by “alleged Kuki” rebels. Manipur police have highlighted this as a new phase of conflict, targeting both security forces and civilians.
