Two Assam Rifles soldiers were killed in a gunfight with unidentified militants close to Ukhrul town in Manipur on Monday, an official from the paramilitary force told Scroll.

Ukhrul is a Tangkhul Naga-majority district. The incident took place at around two hours, the Ukhrul Times reported. Assam Rifles stated that operations were continuing to “neutralise the militants”.

The two personnel who were killed were identified by the newspaper as Warrant Officer Balwant Singh and Havildar CM Singh.

No group has claimed responsibility for the alleged ambush.

The developments came amid tensions between Kukis and Nagas in Ukhrul that had erupted on February 7 after an alleged assault involving members of the Tangkhul Naga and the Kuki-Zo communities escalated into clashes. At least 25 persons from the two communities have been killed since tensions erupted.

Ethnic clashes had first broken out in Manipur in May 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities. At least 260 persons have been killed and more than 59,000 persons displaced since then in the conflict.

Biren Singh had stepped down as the chief minister in February 2025 amid allegations from Kuki-Zomi-Hmar groups that his response to the violence had been partisan and that he had stoked majoritarianism.

After he resigned, Manipur was under President’s Rule for a year until Yumnam Khemchand Singh took oath as chief minister on February 4.

Inputs from Rokibuz Zaman. Edited by Sneha.