Moulavibazar military den raid: Granade blast, gunshots heard

police

Police in Moulavibazar have cordoned off two houses, suspected to be militant den, at Fatehpur village and Barohat in Sadar upazila.

One of the houses is in Borohat area under Sadar municipality and another is in Sarker Bazar area under Khalilpur union.

Wakil Ahmed, Officer-in-Charge of Sadar Police Station, said, “Police cordoned off the houses around 4:00am.”

The OC also added that members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and firefighters have also joined the police.

However, none has so far been reported to be injured in any explosion.

Mohibul Islam, deputy commissioner of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit (CTTC) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said that militants hurled a grenade at the law enforcers from the town “hideout” this morning.

CTTC members from Dhaka and police were conducting the drive, Mohibul said in the morning.

Deputy Commissioner Islam said that bullets were fired and grenades were hurled at police from the house in Fatehpur Village. “The police also opened fire.”

He said they have sealed off the two houses and were trying to establish contact with the suspected militants inside. “They are yet to say anything. But we will keep on trying in line with our operational strategy.”

As the raids started early in the morning, power and gas supplies in the areas have been disconnected.

Police said the houses are owned by expatriates Saifur Sabbir and Atabbar Mia, who live in London.

Just the previous day, army commandos ended an operation codenamed “Operation Twilight” at a house called Atia Mahal in at Shibbari of Sylhet and handed the crime scene over to the police. Four militants, including a woman, were killed during the Sylhet’s commando assault.

Four civilians and two police officers also died in a twin bomb attack on Saturday night near Atia Mahal. Terror group Islamic State claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Source: The Daily Ittefaq