CNI News
25 July 2025
The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) was arresting and militarily recruiting Naga people as well as arresting members of the NSCN-K/YA, a Naga armed group. So, the Naga Students Organization (NSO) has questioned if the KIA is declaring war on the Naga people.
The KIA troops massively entered the Naga ancestral lands near Talu and Lungyone villages west of the Tanai River on July 18, 2025, and the KIA arrested 16 members of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Kaplan/Yung Aung (NSCN-K/YA) along with their weapons and ammunition.
So, the NSO has questioned if the KIA is declaring war on the Naga people or testing their patience.
“In recent years, especially after the military coup in 2021, the KIA’s repeated provocations have posed a significant threat to the existing friendship. When several hundreds of Naga youths go to Kachin State on business including education and healthcare, the Naga youths and Naga young men from gold and jade digging areas and Naga villages near Kachin State borde were recruited against their will by the KIA. Amy news about some of them was not heard and others were being used as human shields on the battle ground. These incidents were insulting the Naga people who cherish the peace," said in the statement.
The statement released by the Naga Students Organization
They condemned the KIA's repeated provocations; they demanded the KIA to release the Naga forces and unconditionally give back the weapons seized, said the NSO.
If the KIA delayed to comply with their demand, they would deem that it speeds up the conflict and if its hostilities continued to take place, the KIA would be responsible for the consequent problems, said the NSO in its statement.
Despite such aggression by the KIA, the Naga people have shown patience without retaliating. They had hoped Kachin leaders to bring peace, recognizing its alliance, but that hope has been narrow, said in the statement.
Then, on June 7, 2024, they went to meet with KIA leaders in Kachin State to discuss the issues, but the KIA troops in Shin Bwe Yang, Tanai Township, blocked them from going to the KIA headquarters.
While seeing the NSCN-K/YA
On June 13-14, 2024, they held discussions with junior KIA officers, but they had to come back without getting any answers. However, the KIA’s aggressive actions have worsened, said in the NSO's statement.
The KIA has been increasingly recruiting Naga people since 2021, and has reportedly arrested and recruited not only Naga youth living in Kachin State but also in townships such as Nanyun, Pansaung, Lahe, and Donghee in the Naga Self-Administered Zone. The KIA recruited around 300 Naga youths between February and September 2023, said Naga locals.
The KIA troops arrested Naga youths, entering one house after another, in some villages in the Shin Bwe Yang area of Tanai Township in the second week of April, 2024, according to Naga locals.
The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) Brigade (2) is reportedly operating in Tanai Township and the Hukaung Valley, Kachin State.
