At least three people were killed as fresh clashes erupted between armed members of two Kuki-Zo groups in Manipur's Tengnoupal district on Friday.

Chief Minister TN Biren Singh confirmed the incident of firing, however, did not share any details on casualties. Addressing the state assembly, the Chief Minister said that security forces rushed to the area to control the situation.

The gunmen belonged to the same community, he added.

Notably, the firing erupted between the insurgent group United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF) and Kuki village volunteers at two places - Molnoi Pallel and Molnom. The incident occurred at around 8 am.

The village volunteers reportedly set fire to the house of UKLF chief SS Haokip in Molnoi village during the violence. The reason behind the conflict, however, was not known.

The matter came to fore a day after unidentified gunmen opened fire on a group of labourers when they had gone to assemble a pre-fabricated house near Torbung in the Bishnupur district.

There was retaliatory fire from security forces, however, no casualties from the incident were reported.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh recently told the Manipur assembly that 226 people have been killed and over 59,000 others were displaced in the ethnic violence which broke out on May 3 last year.