Seven Rohingya men were killed in a ‘gunfight’ with Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on a hill in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar early Monday, who the elite force said were “members of a robbery gang”. The identities of the deceased could not be known, said Abdullah Mohammad Sheikh Sadi, assistant director of Cox’s Bazar RAB-15.
The deceased were the members of notorious Rohingya robbery gang ‘Jokey Group’, he added. Tipped off that the gang was taking preparation to commit robbery in Jadimora-Mochni area of the hill behind Rohingya camp No 27, a team of Rab conducted a drive there around 430am, said Mirza Shahed Mahtab, company commander of Rab-15, news agency UNB adds.
Sensing the presence of law enforcers, the robbers opened fire on them prompting them to fire back in self-defence that triggered the gunfight, Mahtab said. After two and a half hours of the gunfight, the elite force members recovered seven bodies from the spot. They also recovered two firearms from the spot.
