20 Christians Still Held Hostage in Manipur

Hours after gunmen killed three pastors returning from a peace conference on May 13 in India, other armed groups started kidnapping Christians. Today, 20 believers are still being held hostage.

The three Kuki-Thadou pastors had just attended the United Baptist Convention Assembly 2026, which focused on reconciliation and peacebuilding among tribes in Manipur, India, including the Kuki-Zo and Naga tribes.

The ensuing abductions began with armed Kuki groups abducting Naga people, which led Naga armed groups and laypeople abducting Kuki civilians in retaliation.

Negotiations soon followed, led by church leaders, tribal leaders, civil society groups, and security agencies. On May 15, a day-long stand-off occurred between both sides, leading to the release of 14 Naga civilians and 14 Kuki civilians the next day. According to The Indian Express, the wives of the three pastors were among the Kuki civilians released.

Today, protests continue while the remaining 14 Kuki and six Naga hostages are still awaiting their freedom. A lack of information regarding the Naga hostages is leading some to believe they have been killed.

Prayers for Peace

Christian leaders around the world are calling the tribes to end the violence and revenge, instead calling them to make peace between the communities. CSW Founder and President Mervyn Thomas addressed the issue in a written response.

“These targeted attacks on revered church leaders who were returning from a dedicated mission of peace and tribal reconciliation constitute a horrific assault on human life and the freedom of religion or belief in Manipur,” Thomas said. “The subsequent retaliatory abductions and hostage crisis underscore how rapidly instability can spiral when faith leaders and peacebuilders are targeted. We urge the authorities to conduct a swift, thorough, and transparent investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice, and we call upon all parties to immediately release the remaining civilian hostages. The international community must not look away as tribal Christian communities and peace advocates in Manipur face escalating vulnerabilities.”

21Wilberforce, a Christian international human rights organization, has worked alongside Baptist communities in northeast India for years to bring peace and restoration among the tribal communities. President Wissam al-Saliby voiced his opinion on the situation and called Christians to respond to the crisis.

“Manipur urgently needs renewed momentum toward peace and unity. Northeast India is home to millions of Baptists and carries a legacy shaped in part by more than a century of American Baptist missionary engagement. This is not a moment for deeper division,” al-Saliby said. “Our identity in Christ must be stronger than tribal or ethnic divisions. As Jesus prayed in John 17, the unity of his people is itself a witness to the world.”

This article was originally published on https://persecution.org/2026/05/27/20-christians-still-held-hostage-in-manipur/