ARSA commander arrested in Bangladesh with rifle, ammunition supplied by Myanmar military

Narinjara News, 22 September 2024

A commander of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a designated terrorist group, was arrested by the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) from  Palong Khali Rohingya camp number 13, located in Ukhiya of  Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, with an MA-11 rifle and 10 rounds of ammunition which were supplied by the Myanmar military.

An arms expert confirmed that the weapon seized was not a G-3 rifle, as previously reported by the Bangladeshi media outlets, but an M-11 rifle, procured by the military junta.

The arrested commander, identified as Nurul Islam, was apprehended on the night of 19 September, said the APBn.

Later it  was further confirmed by DIG Amir Zafar, the commandant of the APBn-8.

The  ARSA members joined forces with the Myanmar military to launch attacks on the Arakan Army (AA), but after they were defeated, they fled to Bangladesh. They are now taking shelter in various Rohingya camps there.

DIG  Zafar stated that the raid on the Rohingya camp was conducted on Thursday night, after the police received vital information that a group of ARSA members was hiding in camp number 13.

The raid resulted in the arrest of Nurul Islam along with his arms and ammunition.

The ARSA group was planning to carry out bombings inside the camp. The Bnagla police are now looking to arrest all of them.

Nurul Islam was handed over to Ukhiya police station and a case was registered against him.

During the preliminary interrogation, Nurul Islam confessed about  his involvement in various criminal activities within the refugee camp.

Earlier, the AA claimed that the military junta provided at least 1,000 weapons to Rohingya forces, including the ARSA, who are collaborating with them in fights against  the AA fighters.