New Delhi: Two Assam Rifles personnel were killed after sustaining injuries in an ambush in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Monday (July 6) evening, with security forces continuing operations in the area late into the night.When The Wire sought an official response, the Assam Rifles’ spokesperson confirmed only that there had been “two fatalities in firefight”, adding that detailed information would be released later.When contacted between 9:15 pm and 9:30 pm, Army sources said the operation was continuing and that the situation on the ground remained sensitive.The Manipur police confirmed the deaths in a post on X, stating that two Assam Rifles personnel were “martyred” in an ambush by suspected militants on NH-202 near Noungshong Kong village under the Ukhrul police station’s jurisdiction.According to the police, security forces rushed to the site after the attack, an exchange of fire followed and operations to “neutralise” the militants were underway.However, the exact sequence of events remains unclear as the operation is still in progress.As of the time of publication, no detailed official account of the incident had been released by the Assam Rifles. Multiple local sources told The Wire that little verified information was available from the ground while the operation was ongoing.Even as unverified claims circulated on social media alleging the involvement of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), A.C. Thotso of the United Naga Council (UNC) urged caution against drawing hasty conclusions.“We have only heard these reports through social media. We do not have any official confirmation of the incident or who is behind it,” Thotso told The Wire. “As of now, we don’t see any reason for the Naga side to directly confront the Assam Rifles. It could also be a conspiracy. Let us wait for the facts to emerge.”Asked about the location of the reported ambush, Thotso said that according to information circulating on social media, it appeared to have occurred somewhere around Noungshong Kong, while stressing that the UNC has not independently verified this information.The Wire also reached out to the president of the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO), Ukhrul, for more details, but the organisation said it had no information about the incident.“Though we are in Ukhrul, our settlements are concentrated around the Litan area. Today’s incident is beyond our knowledge,” he said.The location where the ambush took place lies in a predominantly Tangkhul Naga area, as is the case with Ukhrul district as a whole.Mercy Khongsai, media in-charge of the KSO Ukhrul, told The Wire: “Until February 8, Kuki communities – who live in a confined area of Litan – were able to travel freely in different parts of the district.”“However, following the deterioration of Tangkhul-Kuki relations after the February 8 incidents, the situation in Ukhrul changed significantly. Most Kukis left their villages and those who remain are now largely confined [to] the Mahadev-Litan stretch along National Highway 202 encompassing three specific Kuki villages: Shangkai, Mongkot Chepu and Litan Sareikhong,” she added.These villages are secured by Union security forces, and locals are not allowed to venture beyond these protected areas due to security concerns.The latest attack comes amid the continuing ethnic conflict in Manipur that erupted in May 2023. Over the past three years, the violence has claimed over 250 lives, displaced tens of thousands of people and also resulted in casualties among personnel of Union forces and the Manipur police.Although the violence that broke out in May 2023 has been between Manipur’s Meitei and Kuki communities, a separate ethnic conflict between the state’s Kukis and Nagas broke out in February this year after a brawl between members of the two sides in Litan. This conflict has witnessed civilians being killed and taken hostage as well as homes being torched.