KNA-B rejects allegations over Pilong incident, says four deceased were NSCN (IM/EF) cadres

The Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B) has strongly rejected allegations linking the organisation to the recent killing of four persons at Pilong in Kamjong district of Manipur.

KNA-B categorically denies that any of its cadres crossed the India-Myanmar international border in connection with the incident and rejects allegations of any KNA-B operation inside Indian territory.

In a release on Friday, KNA-B also strongly disputes the description of the deceased as innocent civilians, claiming that the four individuals were NSCN (IM/EF) cadres allegedly involved in illegal drug-trafficking activities. KNA-B maintains that the individuals were killed on the Myanmar side of the international border while allegedly engaged in drug-related activities.

KNA-B further alleged that, following their deaths, cadres associated with NSCN (IM/EF) subsequently carried the bodies across the border and brought them to the village, thereby creating the circumstances in which the incident was subsequently portrayed as the killing of civilians on Indian soil.

KNA-B reiterates that it does not permit its areas of operation to be used for the transportation, storage or trafficking of illegal narcotics and rejects any attempt to associate the organisation with the illegal drug trade.

KNA-B calls for the entire sequence of events, including the location of the incident, the activities of the deceased, the movement of the bodies and any cross-border movement, to be established based on verifiable facts rather than unsubstantiated allegations.