Two women have been killed in India’s northeastern state of Manipur, police said Wednesday, bringing the number of civilians killed in the latest wave of ethnic violence to 10 in the past three weeks.

The women were killed near their home in Tamenglong district, about 150 kilometres (90 miles) west of the state capital, Imphal.

“There is an ongoing shutdown in Tamenglong because of the killing of two women… on Tuesday afternoon,” police superintendent Lanmiyo Luikham said.

Luikham said the attack appeared to be connected to recent clashes between predominantly Christian Naga and Kuki communities. Authorities are investigating the killings and have stepped up efforts to maintain calm in the area.

The latest violence follows the deaths of eight people in three separate incidents across Manipur in recent days.

Manipur has been gripped by ethnic conflict since 2023, primarily between the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and the mainly Christian Kuki minority. The violence has spread in recent months and also involved Naga groups.

The conflict, driven in part by competing claims over land and political influence, has killed more than 250 people and displaced large numbers of residents.

Manipur borders Myanmar, where a prolonged armed conflict has added to security concerns along the porous frontier. Efforts by the Indian government to restore stability in the state have so far produced limited results.