Members of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit have detained 10 suspected operatives of the newly formed militant outfit ‘Imam Mahmud’s Kafela’ after conducting ‘Operation Hillside’ at a hideout in a remote hilly area in East Taktiuli village under Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar on Saturday (August 12, 2023).

Three children were also rescued from the hideout during the drive.

The detainees are Shariful Islam, 40, his wife Amina Begum, 40, their 20-year-old daughter Habiba Binte Shariful, of Satkhira’s Tala upazila; Hafiz Ullah, 25, of Kishoreganj’s Itna upazila; Khairul Islam, 22 and his wife Meghna, 22, of Narayanganj’s Fatullah upazila; Rafiul Islam, 22, of Sirajganj’s Kazipur upazila; Shapla Begum, 22, wife of one Abdus Sattar of Pabna’s Atgharia upazila; Maisha Islam, 20, wife of Sohel Tanjim Rana of Natore; and Sanjida Khatun, 18, wife of Sumon Miah of Bogura’s Shariakandi upazila.

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Md Asaduzzaman, chief of CTTC unit and additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), at a press briefing following the operation in Kulaura upazila at around 11 am said they detained four men and six women and rescued three children from the hideout.

He said the detainees are members of the newly formed militant outfit ‘Imam Mahmud’s Kafela’.

The CTTC chief said they have also recovered 2.5 kg of explosives, 50 detonators, training manual, combat boots, militant books, locally-made sharp weapons, Tk 3,61,000 in cash and ornaments from the hideout.

Asaduzzaman said they had information that a militant outfit had set up a hideout on one of the hills in the district and was recruiting new members.

The CTTC chief said they came to know the name of the mastermind of the militant group from the detainees and drives are now on to nab him.

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Earlier on Friday night, the CTTC members accompanied by district police cordoned off a building in the village.

Later this morning, the CTTC unit initiated the operation to neutralize any potential risk stemming from the hideout.

Local Union Parishad Chairman Muhibul Islam said the detained suspected militants are residents of other districts and they have been living in the area for the past two months after constructing a house in the remote hilly area.

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