The Assam Rifles has apprehended two cadres belonging to a Myanmar-based armed outfit in Manipur’s Chandel district, the paramilitary force said on Wednesday.

According to an official statement, the arrests were made on October 18 near the Sajik Tampak area, close to the India–Myanmar border. The two individuals have been identified as members of the United Tribal Volunteers Group (UTVG).

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the Assam Rifles launched an operation that “effectively thwarted an attempt at cross-border militant movement along the India–Myanmar frontier,” the statement said.

The apprehended militants have been handed over to Chakpikarong Police for further investigation.

Manipur has been grappling with ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 2023, which has claimed over 260 lives and displaced thousands.