3 more militant dens in M`Bazar, Comilla found
Eight hours after Army called off its operation in Sylhet’s Atia Mahal, Police cordoned off two houses in Moulvibazar early Wednesday and encircled a building in Comilla after 14 hours of surrounding of the two residences.
The law enforcing agencies, including Police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), cordoned off three houses based on separate intelligence reports where suspect militants are residing.
Huge sounds of gunfire and explosions were heard from the surrounded houses since the ‘Operation Hit-Back’ of Special Weapon and Tactic Team (SWAT) that started around 6:15pm on Wednesday.
However, no causality was reported from the suspected militant dens though huge sounds of gunfire and explosions were heard from the surrounded housed.
Law enforcers restricted the people, including journalists, from entering the surrounded houses and its adjacent areas while local administration imposed Section 144 in few radius kilometers area in Moulvibzar, our local correspondents said after quoting Police. But, the operation in Comilla den will be started on Friday considering the city corporation polls, said Abid Hasan, Superintendent of Police (SP). Police Headquarters requested the media not to publish militants operation related live-report and photos.
The PHQs issued a notice in this connection which was signed by Soheli Ferdous, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG-Media). It also requested the media no to gather in the operation areas focusing smoothly raid.
In Moulvibazar, “Based on intelligence information, a team of Police cordoned off a three-storey building, owned by an UK expatriate at the municipal’s Barohar area around 2:00am, and another team of detectives encircled of a tin-shed house in Nasirpur village under Moulvibazar Sadar upazila around 3:30am, said Kamrul Ahsan, Deputy Inspector General (Sylhet Range). Special Weapon and Tactic Team (SWAT), Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit, Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Police started the operation at suspected militant hideouts around 6:15pm, the police official said.
The stranded militants, including a woman, hurled grenades and opened fire on the law enforcers and police also did the same targeting them, said the Additional DIG.
“We are suspecting that five to six militants might gave stayed at two dens,” he said.
Earlier, one minibus, three micro buses and two pick-up trucks from SWAT arrived at the Nasirpur village hideout in the afternoon, said Moulvibazar Assistant Superintendent of Police Roshunuzzaman Siddiqui.
Local administration imposed Section 144 in the area including Borohat under Ward No. 6 and Kutumbagh area of Moulvibazar city from 2:00pm, said Moulvibazar Deputy Commissioner Tofail Ahmed. On the other hand, section 144 has been imposed on 2-kilometer radius of the Khalilpur union complex.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Kamal told the reporters in city on Wednesday. “Three or four militants may be hiding at the Borohat den and several other militants, including women, are holed up in the Nasirpur hideout,” SWAT will conduct drives at the militant dens, the minister said. He said, “The raid will start once SWAT and the bomb disposal unit reach the spot. If needed, commandos will be deployed too.”
Moulvibazar Superintendent of Police Mohammad Shahjalal said that they suspect that militants are hiding in the buildings which have been cordoned off by the law enforcers.
Police’s Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit Deputy Commissioner Moinul Islam said, “We have information that several militants are hiding in these two dens.”
Additional SP Rousunuzzaman said that seven to eleven militnats might have stayed at two militant dens.
Moulvibazar police Senior Assistant Superintendent Rashedul Islam said militants have taken position in both houses. It is suspected that they are well equipped with explosives and ammunition.
One of the houses is located at Barhahaat neighbourhood of the district town, the other 20km away in Sadar Upazila’s Fatehpur village, said Srimangol-based RAB camp’s chief ASP Mainuddin.
Three grenades have been hurled targeting the law enforcers from the suspected militant hideout in Moulvibazar’s Borohat area, said Abdul Aziz, Sub-Inspector of Moulvibazar Sadar Police Station.
None was reportedly injured in the grenade attack, he said.
Moulavibazar Municipal Councillor Jalal Ahmed said “Both the houses are owned by London expatriate Saifur Rahman.
The houses owner has bee living in the UK for last 30 years, he said.
Landlord Saifur’s nephew Atik said, “The families rented the bungalow-styled houses two months ago. While renting the houses, both the families said they worked for RFL Group.”
“The Nasirpur bungalow, which is situated on three acres of land, was rented out for Tk 7,000. Two males, a woman and two kids live in the house, he said.
According to him, caretaker Jewel and his wife live at the house. “The den in Borohat is a three-storey building while that of Nasirpur village is one-storey.” In Comilla, Police claimed to have detected another den of terrorists at Gondhomoti in Kotbari of South Comilla on Wednesday afternoon.
Law enforcers have laid a siege to the suspected hideout, Superintendent of Police of Comilla Shah Abid Hossain told reporters. Abid Hasan said that they would take action after further assessing the situation.
Earlier, 12 people, including six militants and two police officials, were killed and at least 43 people injured during the 90-hour long operation, ‘Twilight’, at Atia Mahal in Sylhet, Army’s Intelligence Director Brigadier General Fakhrul Ahsan told the reporters on Wednesday.
