Security forces launched an extensive heliborne operation on Friday against suspected insurgent hideouts in the rugged jungle terrain of Manipur's Churachandpur district.

Troops from the elite Para Special Forces, alongside Assam Rifles personnel, were airlifted into the remote Henglep area to conduct coordinated counter-insurgency sweeps.

This deployment leveraged helicopter insertions to navigate the challenging forested hills, enabling rapid access to interior zones long associated with militant activity. Officials described the action as part of broader efforts to dismantle hideouts operated by non-state actors evading peace frameworks.

The targeted region harbours the United Kuki National Army (UKNA), a faction that remains outside the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement signed by the Indian government, Manipur state authorities, and 24 Kuki, Zomi, and Hmar insurgent groups. Under SoO terms, signatories must confine themselves to designated camps with weapons secured in monitored storage, a protocol UKNA has rejected.

While precise details on the insurgent group engaged in this latest operation are pending confirmation, the area's history points strongly to UKNA presence. Just last November, on 4 November 2025, security forces neutralised four UKNA terrorists in an encounter within the same Churachandpur district, underscoring persistent threats.

Manipur's ethnic violence, which erupted in May 2023, has claimed over 260 lives and displaced thousands, fuelling cycles of unrest between communities. Churachandpur, a hill district, exemplifies the volatile fault lines where tribal insurgencies intersect with broader communal tensions.

The heliborne tactic reflects evolving counter-insurgency strategies in India's Northeast, blending special forces expertise with air mobility to outmanoeuvre insurgents in dense, inaccessible terrain. Para Special Forces, drawn from airborne units, bring precision strike capabilities honed in high-altitude and jungle warfare scenarios.

Assam Rifles, with their paramilitary footprint in the region, complemented the operation through ground intelligence and joint patrols. Such synergy has proven effective in prior UKNA engagements, disrupting logistics and command structures.

This operation arrives amid heightened vigilance following recent SoO extensions for compliant groups, which critics argue have allowed non-signatories like UKNA to exploit vacuums. Government sources emphasise that heliborne insertions deter militants from regrouping in remote fastnesses.

Broader context reveals Manipur's security landscape strained by ethnic Meitei-Kuki clashes, with insurgents occasionally aligning with or exploiting divisions. Over 10,000 troops remain deployed state wide, supported by intelligence from drones and local networks.

UKNA's refusal to join SoO stems from demands for greater autonomy in Kuki-dominated hills, positioning it as a spoilers' outfit amid peace talks. Past encounters have yielded arms caches, including rifles and explosives, signalling external sustainment possibly from porous borders.

The Friday raid's outcome remains under wraps, but precedents suggest potential seizures of weaponry and detentions. Security apparatus anticipates follow-up sweeps to seal escape routes through Myanmar-adjacent terrain.

In New Delhi and Imphal, officials hailed the mission as proactive deterrence, aligning with Prime Minister Modi's zero-tolerance on Northeast insurgencies. Yet, sustaining peace demands addressing root grievances like land rights and development disparities.

Heliborne operations exemplify India's indigenous defence maturation, with HAL's Dhruv and Cheetah helicopters pivotal in such insertions. Integration of night-vision and thermal imaging enhances nocturnal efficacy against elusive foes.

As Manipur grapples with post-2023 recovery, such precision strikes underscore the military's role in stabilising ethnic flashpoints. Analysts anticipate escalated pressure on UKNA, potentially forcing negotiations or further neutralisations.

This episode reinforces the Centre's commitment to SoO enforcement, isolating holdouts while rewarding compliance. Long-term, blending kinetic ops with socio-economic initiatives offers the surest path to enduring calm in Churachandpur's shadowed valleys.

Based On NDTV Report