Chittagong, Mar 09 (V7N) – A large-scale joint operation has been launched by law enforcement agencies to eliminate terrorist groups operating in the Jungle Salimpur area. Thousands of personnel from multiple forces are participating in the operation, which began at dawn on Monday.

At the start of the operation, the joint forces used drones to identify several suspected locations inside the forested area. Later, army APC tanks, police water cannons, armored vehicles, dog squads, and several vehicles equipped with heavy weapons entered the area. Ambulances were also deployed as part of the operation.

According to Lt. Col. Hafizur Rahman, the drive aims to free Jungle Salimpur from crime and terrorism. Members of the Bangladesh Army, Rapid Action Battalion units including RAB-7, RAB-11 and RAB-15, police from Chattogram Metropolitan and range districts, as well as the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) are taking part in the mission.

Authorities say criminal groups, particularly the Rukon and Yasin forces, have long dominated the area. Their activities reportedly include illegal hill cutting, selling land plots, and extortion, often leading to violent clashes.

The area drew attention earlier on January 19, when RAB conducted an operation to arrest Yasin, the alleged leader of the Yasin group. During that incident, RAB members were surrounded and attacked, and four people were abducted and tortured, resulting in the death of one RAB officer.

Located in a remote mountainous region covering about 3,100 acres, Jungle Salimpur has been considered a safe haven for criminals due to its difficult terrain. Currently, around 150,000 people live in approximately 20,000–25,000 houses in the area, many of whom migrated from different parts of the country.

END/SMA/AJ