Ex-chairman of NSCN's Khaplang faction to join NSCN-IM

Guwahati: What may come as a major boost to NSCN-IM, dislodged chairman of Khaplang faction of NSCN, Khango Konyak, along with his loyalists will join NSCN-IM.

Konyak, who was elected chairman last year after the death of octogenarian chairman SS Khaplang, was removed by the outfit recently.

Yung Aung, a relative of Khaplang, was elected as new chairman by a majority vote on August 17 in Myanmar.


A senior NSCN-IM leader confirmed that Khango and his supporters will join NSCN-IM, which is holding peace parleys with Centre.

“Presently Khango is coming from Myanmar. We are ensuring that he is not attacked on way,” he said.

While SS Khaplang was Naga from Myanmar, Khango is Konyak Naga from Mon district of Nagaland, a stronghold of the Khaplang faction.

Security analyst observed Aung’s selection signals comeback of Myanmar's Nagas in the Khaplang outfit who abrogated 14-year-old ceasefire with Indian government in 2015 while followed a spate of attacks on security forces, including the killing of 18 army jawans in Chandel.

Khango - born on July 17, 1943 at Yangkhao village - joined the Naga national service in 1963 at the age of 20. He was inducted into the Naga Army after completing basic military training.

In 1966, Khango went to erstwhile East Pakistan on Alee (Foreign) Command. He was promoted as ‘2nd Lt’ in 1976 and commanded 50 cadres who went to China under Isak Chishi Swu and Th. Muivah.