The 4 decades old Naga group comes under attack in Myanmar.
The Ang Mai-led faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) has strongly denounced a grenade attack on its administrative office in the Naga Self-Administrative Zone (NSAZ) headquarters in Lahe Township, Myanmar, describing it as a “reckless and cowardly” act aimed at sabotaging ongoing peace efforts.
In a statement released by the group, the attack occurred on December 20, 2025, at approximately 4:00 PM, when unidentified assailants hurled a grenade (referred to as a bomb in the statement) at the NSAZ office. No casualties were reported, but the incident has heightened tensions in the region.
The NSCN-K (Ang Mai) emphasized that Naga areas in Myanmar have suffered over six decades of conflict, leading to widespread deprivation of development and stability. At present, the faction is formally engaged in a ceasefire process with the Government of Myanmar, with the goal of achieving lasting peace, political stability, and a brighter future for Myanmar’s Naga population.
“This barbaric and irresponsible act is a deliberate attempt to undermine the peace process and plunge Naga areas back into chaos,” the statement read. The group labeled the attack as a provocation designed to derail hard-earned progress toward reconciliation.
The faction called on all stakeholders, including concerned groups and individuals, to exercise restraint, responsibility, and political maturity. It urged collective cooperation to protect peace across Naga-inhabited regions in Myanmar, warning that any threat to stability directly endangers the aspirations of the Naga people.
Background on NSCN-K (Ang Mai) and India
The Ang Mai-led NSCN-K, also known as NSCN-K (Ang Mai-Mulatonu), remains without a formal ceasefire agreement with the Indian government as of December 2025. Although the group has been in talks with New Delhi since early 2025—holding multiple rounds of negotiations (reportedly 5-6 by mid-year) and expressing optimism about a bilateral ceasefire—no binding accord has been reached. Naga civil society organizations have repeatedly advocated for a formal truce.
Historically, the broader NSCN-K had a ceasefire with India from 2001 until its abrogation in 2015 following continued violence. In 2021, India designated the group an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, with the ban extended for five years in September 2025 due to alleged extortion, killings, and ties to other insurgent groups like ULFA-I.
India’s Ministry of Home Affairs continues to classify NSCN outfits as major insurgent threats to national sovereignty.
The latest incident is a proof of the fragile security dynamics in the Indo-Myanmar border region, where Naga insurgent factions operate amid complex peace negotiations on both sides of the border.