RAB arrests five militants in Bandarban

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested five militants on Wednesday (11 January) during raids in various areas of Bandarban.

The arrestees are members of a newly formed militant outfit "Jama'atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya", Commander Khandaker Al Moin, director of Rapid Action Battalion's (RAB) legal and media wing made the disclosure at a press briefing at Bandarban zila parishad office on Thursday.

They are – Nizamuddin Hiron alias Yusuf, 30, Saleh Ahmed alias Saiha, 27, Bayezid Islam alias Muas alias Bairu, 21, Imran bin Rahman Shithil alias Billal, 17, and Sadiqur Rahman Sumon alias Farkun, 30.

Imran bin Rahman was one of eight youths missing from Cumilla and Sadiqur Rahman went missing from Sylhet, he said adding, all the arrestees were in the list of 55 missing persons.

12 militants, 14 KNF members arrested so far in anti-militancy drive in Bandarban: Rab

Last October, RAB said in a press conference in Dhaka that an armed organisation called Kuki-chin National Front (KNF) in Bandarban provided military training to members of Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya.

Since October, the joint forces of RAB and army personnel have been conducting raids in Rowangchhari, Ruma and Thanchi upazila.

"12 members of the new militant outfit and 13 from Kuki-chin National Front were arrested, RAB said.

RAB also said Nizamuddin Hiron returned to the country from Oman in 2019 and joined the organisation, while Saleh Ahmed, who used to teach at a Noorani madrasa in Cumilla joined the outfit in 2021.