Imphal, Sept. 23 -- Five Naga villages in Manipur's Noney and Kangpokpi districts were targeted in a series of armed attacks early Wednesday morning.

The attacks involved heavy gunfire and arson, with several houses and other properties destroyed. Hundreds of residents were forced to flee into nearby forests. According to a statement from the Makui Chamriupiu village authority, heavy gunfire began around 5 am.

The village body alleged that armed cadres of the Kuki National Front-Progressive (KNF-P), Kuki National Front-Nehlun (KNF-N) and Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) carried out the attacks. It alleged that the attackers set fire to ancestral homes and other properties.

The affected settlements were Makui Chamriupiu, Langka and Thanamb...