Jamatul Ansar training commander among 9 held

The Rapid Action Battalion has arrested nine members, including a training commander, of Islamist militant group Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya in Tongkaboti of Bandarban.

The arrestees are – the outfit’s training commander Didar Hossain alias Masum alias Champai, 25, Alamin Sardar alias Abdullah alias Bahai, 29, Sainun alias Raihan alias Hujaifa, 21, Tahiyat Chowdhury alias Pavel alias Hafijullah alias Riteng, 19, Md Lokman Mia, 23, Md Imran Hossain alias Saitoyal alias Shanto, 35, Md Amir Hossain, 21, Md Ariful Rahman alias Lailang, 28, and Shamim Mia alias Ramjan alias Baklai, 24.

“Members of RAB 1, 11, and 15 conducted a joint drive and arrested them along with arms and explosives,” Commander Khandaker Al Moin, director of RAB’s legal and media wing, said at a media briefing on Monday.

In primary interrogation, the arrested told RAB that had joined the militant group through their close relatives, local acquaintances or friends, he said.

While investigating the disappearance of eight youths from Cumilla, the RAB on August 23 last year, traced the new militant group Jamatul Ansar which trains up its members militarily in the hills of Bandarban. Since then, RAB is conducting various raids, he added.

So far, 59 members, including leaders of various levels, of Jamatul Ansar, and 17 leaders and members of ‘Kuki-chin National Front’ have been arrested, said Moin.

He said RAB has been conducting anti-militancy operations since its inception and it so far arrested about 3,000 of members of various outfits. After the Holy Artisan attack, it also arrested 2,000 militants, he added.

Among the arrested, Champai got involved in militancy in 2018 and went to the hills in February 2021 and secured all kinds of training. In recognition to his skill and loyalty during the training, the outfit assigned him as the commander of armed training in the mountains under the guidance of its amir Anisur Rahman alias Mahmud, said Moin.

Moin said KNF leaders Nathan Bawm, Bangchong, Rammoy, Dicklian, Pahl and Kakuli used to visit to the training camps of Jamatul Ansar and they used to collect weapons and other training logistics from KNF in exchange of money. KNF members also provided Jamaatul Ansar members with armed training, added Moin.

He said that among the arrestees, Tahiyat Chowdhury was previously associated with banned militant organisation Ansar al-Islam. He arrested by police while in Ansar al-Islam.