The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested five members of the Arakan
Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), an insurgent group from Myanmar,
including its top commander from a Rohingya camp in Ukhiya Upazila of
Cox’s Bazar.
The arrestees were – Md Shahidul Islam alias Moulovi
Akij, 50, son of Late Abul Bashar Prokash Moulovi Naser, MCamp No-4,
Block-C Kutupalang, Ukhiya; Md Faisal, 28, son of Moulovi Anwar of Camp
No-6 of Block-D; Hafez Fayzur Rahman, 24, son of Late Moulovi Rahmat
Ullah of Camp No-20; Md Salam Prokash, son of Late Karim Ullah of
Balukhali Camp-8/E, Block B-44; and Md Jubair, 24, son of Anu Mia of
Unchiprang Camp-22.
RAB-15 commander Lt Col HM Sazzad Hossain at
press conference said that acting on a tip-off, a team of RAB raided at
camp No-4 at Rajapalong Union of Ukhiya early Monday.
Sensing the
presence of the elite force, the ARSA militants opened fire which
triggered the RAB personnel fired back in self-defence.
Later they
arrested the five people, including ARSA top leader Akij and recovered
several arms, ammunition and explosives, including one foreign-made
pistol, one locally-made LG, one Shooter gun, 10 rounds of cartridge,
2-kg explosive material, 3 mobile phones.
Among the arrestees,
ARSA top commander Moulovi Akij is one of the masterminds in the murder
of Rohingya leader Mohammad Mohib Ullah.
Akij was also an accused in
the sensational seven murders in the camp and was named in over 21 cases
on various charges including murder, abduction, and weapons charges.
The legal procedure under process against the arrestees in this regard, he added.
FA/NY
