Myanmar-based group says it has ‘no operational footprint’ in India, rejects claims of infiltration; accuses NSCN Eastern Flank, Meitei separatists of ‘false narrative’ to inflame border tensions
By St. Ginth Haokip
Moreh, July 3, 2026: The Kuki National Army–Burma (KNA-B) has rejected and condemned allegations published by The Sangai Express on July 2, 2026, that claimed the group infiltrated Indian territory and took part in arson attacks at Kongkan Thana, Sangkalok, Choro, Namlee, and Wanglee villages. In a statement issued by its Ministry of Information and Publicity, KNA-B called the report “false, malicious, and entirely unsubstantiated” and said it maintains no military activity within India.
KNA-B stated in the “clearest possible terms” that it has no operational footprint and conducts no military activity whatsoever within the sovereign territory of the Republic of India. The group said its mandate, objectives, and operational commitments are confined exclusively to Myanmar, a position it has consistently maintained in every prior official clarification. “Any attempt to link KNA-B to incidents occurring within Indian territory is entirely false, devoid of factual basis, and unsupported by so much as a shred of credible evidence,” the statement said.
The group criticized The Sangai Express for what it called reliance on anonymous sources, conjecture, and unverified claims. KNA-B said allegations of such gravity warrant verifiable fact, not “hearsay dressed as reportage or politically motivated narratives.” The statement added that proximity to the Indo-Myanmar border is not evidence of complicity, noting that “geography is no substitute for proof.” It said reporting that dispenses with due diligence and factual rigor “forfeits its claim to journalistic integrity altogether.”
KNA-B also rejected what it described as recurring efforts by Tangkhul Kacha Nagas, operating under the “self-conferred banner of the NSCN Eastern Flank,” in concert with certain separatist Meitei elements, to falsely implicate KNA-B in matters unfolding within Indian territory. The group said allegations portraying KNA-B as a joint operational partner of armed groups inside India are “entirely fictitious and evidentially barren.” According to the statement, these coordinated allegations appear designed to “construct a false narrative, impugn the standing of KNA-B, and inflame communal tensions along the Indo-Myanmar frontier.”
The Myanmar-based organisation called upon media institutions, civil society organisations, and the public to exercise restraint in circulating unverified claims. “Reporting untethered from verification serves no purpose beyond deepening mistrust and destabilising an already precarious regional equilibrium,” the statement said.
KNA-B said its strategic restraint must never be misconstrued as weakness or acquiescence. The group said it remains steadfast in safeguarding its integrity, honour, and reputation and will continue to firmly refute every false and malicious allegation while remaining committed to its mission within Myanmar. The statement was issued by the Ministry of Information and Publicity.
The Sangai Express report of July 2, 2026, had alleged KNA-B involvement in the arson attacks across the five villages. KNA-B has previously issued clarifications denying operations inside India.
