In India, dozens of rebel fighters have been killed in clashes with security forces in India’s remote northeastern state of Manipur.

The state has been on edge since the explosion of inter-ethnic violence on 3rd May between tribal groups and the ethnic majority Meitei people over plans to extend economic quotas to the Meitei.

The far-flung states of northeast India-sandwiched between Bangladesh, China and Myanmar – have long been a tinderbox of tensions between different ethnic groups.

New Delhi rushed thousands of paramilitary and army troops to the state of 3.2 million people. It imposed a curfew after fighting erupted between the majority Meitei, who are mostly Hindus and live in and around the state capital Imphal, and the mainly Christian Kuki tribe from the surrounding hills.