Manipur talks free 28talks free 28 hostages as negotiations continue
Authorities in India’s northeastern state of Manipur said on Thursday and Friday that talks were under way to secure the release of civilians held by Kuki and Naga armed groups in Kangpokpi and Senapati districts.
Officials also said 28 hostages had been freed, including two Salesian brothers, while negotiations continued for at least 44 people still being held.
The case matters because it shows how local ethnic violence is still disrupting civilian life and testing efforts to restore order in the state.
Manipur authorities
State officials said they were working through negotiations and civil society contacts to bring the hostages home. They presented the releases as part of an active effort to calm the situation and recover more civilians.
Local security and community view
Church-linked figures were described as especially alarming cases, with leaders calling the killings of clergy unprecedented. Community voices see the hostage-taking as part of a broader breakdown in trust that has deepened fear across districts.
- Manipur borders Myanmar, which has made the state strategically sensitive for India’s internal security.
- The Salesians are especially active in education across South Asia.
- Naga communities are spread across multiple Indian states and Myanmar, giving their politics a cross-border dimension.
