Violence Resurges in Indian State Locked in Bloody Conflict for 16 Months

More than a year after it became an open war zone, deadly ethnic violence has resurged this month in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur. The local authorities have reimposed a curfew and an internet blackout as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government struggles to quell the unrest.

The conflict, which started in May 2023, was ignited by a dispute between two groups, the Meitei and the Kuki, over the Meitei’s claim to receive a special status guaranteeing allotment of government jobs and the right to buy land.

More than 200 people have been reported killed and at least 60,000 displaced in the unrest. After pitched violence broke out, with villages burned and reports of sexual assaults widespread, the Indian Army moved in and effectively partitioned the state between the two groups.

During India’s general election this spring, opposition politicians repeatedly criticized Mr. Modi for saying little about the Manipur unrest and not doing enough to stop it. Mr. Modi has stood by the state’s chief minister, N. Biren Singh, a member of his Bharatiya Janata Party. Critics of Mr. Singh, who is part of the majority Meitei community, say he has exacerbated the violence with his partisan statements and handling of the conflict.

While the violence had subsided over the past few months, it came roaring back in recent weeks, with 11 people — eight Kukis and three Meiteis — killed in attacks, according to data collected by Kuki and Meitei organizations. The Manipur police said there had been a “significant escalation” in the 16-month conflict, accusing Kuki militants of using drones and long-range rockets against civilians and security forces.