Heavy weapons used in overnight attack on joint forces camp in Jungle Salimpur

An under-construction temporary camp of the joint forces was demolished during a planned armed attack carried out by criminal groups in the Jungle Salimpur area of Sitakunda in Chattogram, in the early hours of Monday.

To obstruct the rapid deployment of law enforcement personnel, attackers reportedly cut roads at at least four locations. Authorities said between 200 and 300 armed individuals took part in the assault.

According to law enforcement officials, firearms similar to AK-47 assault rifles were used during the attack.

Following the incident, a joint operation involving the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), police and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) was launched in the area, leading to the detention of several suspects.

The attack took place between 1:00am and 2:00am in the Alinagar area of Jungle Salimpur.

The operation to bring the situation under control was led by Masud Alam, Superintendent of Police of Chattogram District, and Lieutenant Colonel Hafizur Rahman, commander of RAB-7 Chattogram.

Sources said the temporary camp that was destroyed by the attackers was scheduled to be inaugurated by the Home Minister during a planned visit to Jungle Salimpur on 31 May.

Law enforcement officials alleged that 200 to 300 members of the Yasin group, a criminal network that had been driven out of Salimpur during a major crackdown in March, regrouped and carried out the attack.

Lieutenant Colonel Hafizur Rahman said the attackers were armed with machetes, locally made weapons and firearms resembling AK-47 rifles.

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He said the assailants used an excavator to demolish the rear wall of the joint forces camp located at Alinagar School.

At the far end of the school premises, a new temporary camp for the joint forces was under construction and around 90 per cent of the work had already been completed. The structure was almost entirely destroyed using the excavator, he added.

“The attackers kept security personnel occupied by opening fire on the camp and also fired from tin-shed structures located on nearby hills,” he said.

“Our members returned fire in self-defence.”

SP Masud Alam said police personnel used shotguns, Chinese rifles and gas guns during the operation.

“A total of 104 rounds were fired by police. Due to strong resistance, the attackers failed to enter the camp,” he said.

In March, law enforcement agencies conducted a large-scale operation in Jungle Salimpur, dismantling criminal hideouts that had emerged in the area. A temporary security camp was subsequently established there to maintain law and order.