Armed Police Battalion (APBn) arrested a suspected top commander of Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa) along with two foreign G-3 rifles and 50 bullets during a drive in Ukhia Rohingya camp of Cox's Bazar in the early hours of Sunday.
Additional Deputy Inspector General (ADIG) Mohammad Iqbal, commander of APBn-8, said that the operation was carried out in the main A-Block of Rohingya Camp No. 20 in Ukhia Upazila at about 1:30am.
The arrested person, Mohammad Ilias, 26, is the son of Hasan Ahmad of A-15 sub block of Rohingya Camp No. 11 in Ukhia Upazila.
Mohammad Iqbal said a team of APBn police conducted the drive on the information that some armed people were staying near the graveyard of main A-Block of Rohingya Camp No. 20 in Ukhia Upazila at midnight. On reaching the spot, the miscreants started firing at the APBn members after sensing their presence. The APBn members also fired back in self-defence.
“At one stage of the firing, APBn members managed to arrest a top commander of Arsa who had escaped. Later, two foreign G-3 rifles and 50 bullets were found inside a plastic bag with him," the ADIG said.
He said, “The detained youth said during interrogation that he is an active member of Arsa. He was taking the recovered weapons and bullets to Ziaur Rahman, Arsa commander of Rohingya camp No. 4.”
Mohammad Iqbal said a case has been filed against the detained person with Ukhia Police Station.
