Four militants killed at Ctg drive

Staff Correspondent, Chittagong: Four militants including a woman were killed and two others injured when a joint force of law enforcers launched a drive at their hideout in Premtala Chowdhurypara area of Sitakunda upazila in Chittagong on Thursday morning.

The identity of the deceased could not be known immediately.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police, Chittagong range, Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, confirmed the matter to risingbd.com around 8:15am.

Shafiqul Islam said the joint force launched the drive which has been named after 'Operation Assault 16' and rescued 18 people from the den.

The injured are Special Weapon and Tactic (SWAT) members and they were admitted to a hospital in Chittagong.

It was known that a joint team of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC), SWAT and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members cordoned off the two-storied building Chhayanir suspected it as a militants’ hideout in Taltala area of Nama Bazar under Sitakunda upazila of Chittagong at about 4:00pm on Wednesday.

Suspected militants of the house also opened fire at night. However, the sounds of firing could not be heard after the midnight. Police stopped the operation at night, considering the security of nearby villagers.

Later, the law enforcers’ joint team started operation at about 6:00am. Police members opened fire from the outside of the house, while the suspected militants hurled bombs from the den.

Three police members including two SWAT members were injured during the explosion.

Earlier, on Wednesday afternoon, police unearthed two 'militant dens' at Sitakunda upazila in Chittagong.

The police team surrounded a house in Madhyam Mahadebpur village in Sitakunda. Sensing the presence of the law enforcers, the militants inside the house hurled grenades at them, prompting them to retaliate around 3:00pm. Later, police team entered the house and took into custody a couple with a kid.

They also recovered a number of grenades, bombs and firearms from the house.

Following information gleaned from the couple, the same team raided another house, believed to be a militant hideout, in Premtala area, one kilometre away from their house, and surrounded it.

When police tried to enter the house, suspected militants hurled hand grenades at them, leaving two policemen, including officer-in-charge of Sitakunda Police Station Mozammel, injured.

Later, a joint team of SWAT and district police made another attempt to enter the house. However, the militants charged hand grenades again.

risingbd/CHITTAGONG/Mar 16, 2017/Rezaul/Amirul