500 families displaced by KNF attack in Bandarban return home

STAFF REPORTER

Approximately 500 families who fled into the jungle during a militant attack in Bangladesh’s Bandarban district returned to their homes after the assailants withdrew, residents said.

The attack on Thursday night, the fourth in the region by the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) since Tuesday, involved an attempted assault on Thanchi police station. Security forces repelled the attack, according to the station’s Officer-in-Charge, Md. Jasim Uddin.

Residents of the Fazlpara, Headmanpara, and Bangalipara areas said they sought refuge in the jungle after hearing gunfire. “We fled in panic, the young and old alike,” said Arif, a Fazlpara resident.

Police reported that approximately 120 KNF militants conducted reconnaissance prior to the attack. Uddin said the situation remains tense, with the armed group believed to be operating nearby.