The hill areas lining the valleys are in the Kangpokpi district, with numerous villages populated by Kuki-Zo people.

[9] Kuki villages also abound in the valley to the north of Sanasabi, which appears to be part of the Kangpokpi district.

The Hindustan Times reported that armed men came down to Yaingangpokpi, torched two houses and fired upon villagers.

[13] The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU)[d] later said that Meitei mobs led by Arambai Tenggol and Manipur Police Commandos were responsible for the burning.

The next day, the Army said that it conducted operations in Sanasabi, Gwaltabi and Sabungkhok Khunou and apprehended 22 miscreants, many with weapons.

[15] In June, the Army mentioned that Urangpat and Gwaltabi (Kuki villages) had been vacated and security forces were deployed in them.

Rumours were circulated on social media that 1,000 miscreants had assembled in parts of Kangpokpi district, especially in these two villages.

It also mentioned that large groups of women from Yaingangpokpi and Seijang villages blocked force reinforcements from coming to the area.

Women groups again obstructed security forces at Sabungkhok until all the attackers coming from Imphal (in 30–40 vehicles) passed through.

There was reportedly firing between two armed groups along "Saibol heights", which is evidently a reference to the Uyok Ching ridge.

[25][26] On 29 November, Meitei village committees in the region wrote to the Union Home Ministry and Defence Ministry, expressing concern over the "illegal bunkers" set up on the Uyok Ching ridge and alleged Army's complicity in allowing their construction.

[28][29] On 28 December, four people were injured including a Manipur Police Commando and an Impact News cameraperson.

[30] Kuki-Zo Council, the apex civil society body of the community, also issued a condemnation, placing the blame on the valley-based insurgent groups (Meitei insurgent groups), who were said to have attacked the area in the midst of Christmas celebrations.

Hundreds of women from the region came to the site forming human barriers to prevent the security forces.

It was called off after the government reportedly agreed to replace the central forces along the Saibol Post with those from a Kangpokpi-based CRPF battalion.