Army officer killed in terror attack in Bandarban

A senior army warrant officer was killed and an army soldier injured when armed terrorists of JSS main group backed by Santu Larma opened fire on a patrol team in Ruma upazila of Bandarban district on Wednesday night. 

The deceased was identified as Patrol Commander Senior Warrant Officer Habibur Rahman while the injured soldier was Firoz, reports BSS citing a press release of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

A security patrol team led by senior warrant officer Habib from Raing Khiyang Lake Army Camp went to Bathipara area of Ruma Upazila on the information that a group of JSS terrorists was going there for extortion, said the ISPR release.

When the patrol team reached Bathipara area, the terrorists started firing on the patrol team from a nearby Jhum house triggering a gun battle left three armed terrorists of the JSS main group injured.

During the operation, the army patrol team seized 1 SMG, 249 rounds of fresh ammunition, 3 ammunition magazines, 3 guns, 5 rounds of ammunition, 4 pairs of uniforms and Taka 52,900 in cash from the extortionists.

Officer-in-charge (OC) of Ruma Police Station Md Abul Qasim said they reached the spot and brought the dead bodies to the police station from that area, according to BSS’s Bandarban correspondent. 

The body of the army warrant officer was taken to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) along with the injured army soldier, the OC added.

Other three bodies are assumed to be JSS members, said the OC.

Bandarban District Additional Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar Pal said a senior warrant officer was killed when the terrorists launched a surprise attack on the army.

Three terrorists were killed in the army retaliation, he said, adding that their (terrorists) identities have not yet been identified.