Minute-by-minute: Explosions rock Sitakunda Islamic militant hideout in Bangladesh

Four militants, incluidng a woman, have been killed in operation “Assault 16” at an Islamic militant hideout in Chittagong’s Sitakunda upazila on Thursday 16/3.

Earlier on Wednesday 15/3 afternoon, Chittagong police captured two Islamic militants from an hideout in the neighbouring ward of Namarbazar in Sitakunda.

16/3 – 4am-  Different teams of law enforcing agencies take position near the main Islamic militant hideout in Sitakunda, Chittagong.

5am- Two combined teams of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) from Dhaka and Chittagong have started operation “Assault 16” at Chhayaneer in Premtola ward of Chowdhurypara.

6am-  Sounds of two gunshots heard near Chhayaneer.

6:15am- Massive explosion heard inside the building.

6:24am- Five more explosions heard one after the other.

VIDEO: Police raid Sitakunda militant den

6:30am- Continuous gunshots being fired.

6:31am-  Second floor of the building — Chhayaneer — catches fire after another massive explosion.

6:44am- Two ambulances arrive at the spot.

7am- The ambulances leave the spot with two policemen.

7:45am- An official of Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crimes unit (CTTC) informs the Dhaka Tribune a suicide explosion took place inside the building.

8:15am- Chittagong district Superintendent of Police Nur-e-Alam Mina says three families are still trapped inside the building.

8:40am- Additional Deputy Commissioner Abdul Manna of CTTC confirms that two militants have been killed in the suicide blast inside the building.

8:44am- Two injured SWAT men have been taken to Combined Military Hospital in Chittagong.

8:46am- Six members of a family rescued, Chittagong district Superintendent of Police Nur-e-Alam Mina says.

9:30am- SWAT team members rescued five more people, our correspondent FM Mizanur Rahaman reports from the spot.

9:36am- A total of two families rescued from the the building. One more family is yet to be rescued, our correspondent FM Mizanur Rahaman reports.

9:54am- Eight more people have been rescued by the SWAT team, our correspondent FM Mizanur Rahaman reports.

10:09am: Fire Service DAD Kamal Uddin Bhuiyan says: “SWAT team accompanied by some firefighters have entered the building.”

10:15am: “We have rescued all the residents from the building,” Kamal Uddin Bhuiyan says.

10:17am: DIG Shafiqul Islam says: “Four New-Jamaatul Mujaheddin Bangladesh militants, including a woman, were killed in the suicide blast. We have rescued 20 people.”

10:20am: “The operation against the militants has ended. The Bomb Disposal Unit has entered the building,” DIG Shafiqul Islam says.

10:26am: Shafiqul Islam: “Two of the militants were wearing suicide vests. We have not been able to identify them yet as their bodies have been damaged in the blast. A large number of foreigners are now working in this city. We are suspecting the militants might have had plans to attack the foreigners.”

10:32am: The DIG says: “The two rooms of the flat where militants were hiding are full of explosives and the bomb disposal unit is trying to defuse the bombs inside the flat.”

10:40am- Shafiqul says the two militants who were detained from another hideout Wednesday 15/3 afternoon have not disclosed any information yet and they will be sent to Dhaka for interrogation.

11:18am: Bomb disposal unit is still trying to diffuse the bombs inside the flat where four militants of New Jamaatul Mujaheddin Bangladesh were killed, our correspondent FM Mizanur Rahaman reports.

12:27pm- Teams from Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Police Bureau Investigate (PBI) department visit the spot.

1pm- Bomb Disposal Unit blasts a powerful bomb inside the building.

1:30pm- An official of CTTC says the bomb disposal unit is trying a powerful bomb on the terrace of the building.

5:40pm- A series of explosions rocked the building when a Bomb Disposal Unit team was defusing explosives. A fire broke out on the ground floor. A fire service team has been dispatched to put out the fire.

7:14pm- Police have found the body of a child of approximately seven months in the debris of the house. Sitakunda Additional Superintendent of Police Rezaul Masud says the deceased baby might have been related to the deceased militants.

 

Source: Dhaka Tribune