Manipur Chief Minister's "Foreign Mercenaries" Claim After Attack On Forces

Seven security personnel were injured in a gunfight in Manipur amid fresh violence in the state thi morning, the police said.

Officials said four police commandos and three BSF soldiers were injured in the gunfight between suspected insurgents in Manipur's border town Moreh.

The security personnel are in a critical state and they have been airlifted to an Imphal hospital for treatment.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that they suspect the involvement of foreign mercenaries in the ambush.

"Search and combing operations are widely going on. We suspect the involvement of foreign mercenaries from Myanmar side. It is our commitment to the people of the state and India that we will not succumb to this kind of pressure," Mr Singh said.

"We will take necessary, possible measures to counter the terrorists," he said.

The Chief Minister also visited the injured security personnel in the Imphal hospital.

This comes a day after four people were shot dead and several others injured in Manipur on New Year's day, following which curfew was reimposed in the five valley districts of the state.

Following the fresh violence, curfew was reimposed in Thoubal, Imphal East and Imphal West, Kakching and Bishnupur districts, officials said.

In a separate incident, four security personnel were injured in a gunfight with suspected insurgents in Moreh last week.

In a video message yesterday, Mr Singh condemned the fresh spell of violence and appealed to the people to maintain peace.

"I express my immense sadness over the killing of innocent people. We have mobilised police teams to catch the culprits. I fold my hands and appeal to the residents of Lilong (where the incident happened) to help the government in finding the culprits. I promise that the government will do everything in its power to give justice under the law," he had said.