RAB, terrorists exchanging fire in Thanchi: RAB

A team of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and some terrorists have been exchanging fire in Remakri area of Thanchi upazila in Bandarban, said RAB media wing on Tuesday.

The exchange of fire has been going on from early Tuesday, it added.been

Confirming this to Prothom Alo, RAB’s legal and media wing assistant director ANM Imran Khan said, “As we came to know about the location of the members of militant organisation Jamaatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharaqqiya and some terrorists from the hill areas, RAB took prepared for the raid at around 5:00 am. Sensing the presence of RAB members, the militants and terrorists opened fire on the law enforcement members. RAB also opened fire in response. Currently, RAB members and the militants and terrorists are engaged in sporadic exchange of fire.”

The fight was going on as of filing of this report at around 9:30 am.

RAB said it will inform the media of details after completing the raid.

In a note sent to the media, RAB had arrested Ranbir, a Shura member of militant organisation Jamaatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharaqqiya and head of its military wing, and his assistant Bashar, a bomb expert.

Later, RAB members recovered local and foreign arms and ammunitions from their den, the note added.

RAB published a list of 38 youths, who either went missing or left home, on 10 October last year. Most of them were from Cumilla, Sylhet and Barishal. RAB at that time said around 55 youths left homes from different areas, motivated by militant ideology. All of them are members of militant organisation Jamaatul Ansar.

Of the 38 youths, 19 were seen taking training in a video, RAB published.

Following the publishing of the list, RAB started the anti-militant drive in the hills.

Earlier, on 23 January, RAB and militants exchanged fire near a Rohingya camp in Kutupalong, Cox’s Bazar. That time RAB arrested Masukur Rahman, the head of Jamaatul Ansar’s so called military wing. The video of their training was found on his mobile phone.

The video of armed training was taken at a camp of Kuki Chin National Front (KNF), a new armed terrorists group emerged in the Chittagong Hill Tracts area. Some 55 members of Jamaatul Ansar took training at the KNF camp in three batches towards the end of 2021, said the law enforcement.