Child’s body found at Ctg militant den

-- Body of a child found this evening

-- SWAT man, firefighter among 4 hurt

-- 20 people trapped inside the building rescued

-- Live bombs found

For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.

Law enforcers found the body of a child at “Neo JMB” hideout in Sitakunda upazila of Chittagong this evening, raising death toll from the raid by joint forces to five.

Also READ: Militant dens busted in Ctg

Four bodies of suspected militants including a woman were recovered from the hideout in Premtala area earlier in the day, reports our Chittagong correspondent quoting police.

The suspected four militants were killed in sporadic gunfight with the joint forces since the morning. Some lawmen were also injured at that time.

Identities of the deceased could not be known immediately.

Meanwhile, 20 members of seven families, who were trapped inside the building during the overnight raid, were taken to safety before the final assault began around 6:00am this morning.

Four hours after the drive, Chittagong range Deputy Inspector General of Police Shafiqul Islam told the media that the drive codenamed “Assault 16” had ended and confirmed the death of four suspected militants.

Later, police found the child’s body lying inside the flat used as the den of the terrorist outfit, said Habibur Rahman, additional superintendent of police in Chittagong.

The identity and age of the child could not be known immediately.

‘Neo JMB’

“Neo JMB”, as law enforcers call it, is an offshoot of the banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). Its coordinator Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury -- killed along with his two accomplices in an operation at a militant den in Narayanganj on August 27, 2016, -- was thought to be the Gulshan attack mastermind.

Twenty members of seven families, who were trapped inside the building during the overnight raid, were taken to safety before the final assault began around 6:00am this morning, our Chittagong correspondent quoting the DIG.

Law enforcers rescue 20 people who were trapped inside a house during the police raid in Sitakunda of Chittagong on Thursday, March 16, 2017. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das

‘Neo JMB’

“Neo JMB”, as law enforcers call it, is an offshoot of the banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

The “Neo JMB”, formed by leaders and operatives of mainstream JMB who did not accept the leadership of Saidur Rahman, follows the ideology of Islamic State (IS).

“Neo JMB” coordinator Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury was killed along with his two accomplices in an operation at a militant den in Narayanganj on August 27, 2016. He was thought to be the Gulshan attack mastermind.

Apart from Gulshan attack, the gang ensured ingredients for improvised grenades that were used in all attacks perpetrated by “Neo JMB” in recent years, police said.