Two militants die in 'suicide explosions' after police assault on Sitakunda hideout

Two suspected militants were killed when they set off 'suicide explosions" after police attacked their hideout in Chittagong's Sitakunda on Thursday morning.

Police said the militants who died belonged to the JMB.

The explosions were reported after police mounted the assault on the hideout  after throwing an encirclement around the hideout last night.

Police started firing at the hideout around 6am and the inmates of the hideout replied with powerful explosions in quick succession.

bdnews24.com correspondent Mostafa Yusuf reporting from the spot said police fired continuously for 7-8 minutes at one stage and the inmates retaliated with as many explosions that shook up the area.

Yousuf said an ambulance could be seen moving out of the compound after police firing and the explosions.

It was not clear whether the ambulance was carrying anyone.

Personnel from Counter-terrorism unit and SWAT have joined the RAB and the Chittagong police in the operations against "Chaya Nir" , a two-storey building in Chowdhurypara of Siktakunda town's Premtala area.

Counter-terrorism unit's additional joint commissioner Sanowar Hossain is leading the operations. He has been involved with many such raids on militant hideouts in and around Dhaka in the past.

Hossain said personnel from Counter-terrorism unit and Swat , police's bomb disposal squad ,"LIC" unit of police headquarters and men from Chittagong police were involved in the operations.

Police encircled 'Chaya Nir" after arresting a couple with arms and explosives from a ' JMB hideout' in Sitakunda town on Wednesday evening.

When inmates of 'Chaya Nir" lobbed grenades injuring a policeman, the law enforcers encircled the house to ensure no one could escape from there.

Intermittent exchange of fire between the police-RAB contigent and the inmates of the house were reported on several occassions throughout the night.

Police said some families were stuck in 'Chaya Nir" along with the terrorists but they were still not clear about numbers.

Earlier, a couple was arrested from a suspected militant hideout at Chittagong's Sitakunda after which police and SWAT personnel cordoned off 'Chaya Nir" .

Local police raided the ground floor of a two-storey house, 'Sadhan Kutir', at Amirabad of Namar Bazar Ward around 3pm on Wednesday after receiving a tip-off from the building's owner.

A couple, 'Jashim' and 'Arjina', were arrested from there with weapons, police said.