2017 South Surma Upazila bombings

A suicide bombing killed six (four civilians and two police officers) and wounded more than 40, several critically, in South Surma Upazila, Sylhet, Bangladesh. An army Lieutenant Colonel later died from his injuries from explosion.^[2] It was a bombing attack on the Bangladesh Armed Forces gathered near a militant compound in Sylhet, Bangladesh on 25 March 2017.^[3] Later, other bombs exploded and gunfire was reported. Islamic State claimed responsibility for this terror attack.^[4][5][6] Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has denied the claims of the Islamic State and blamed the local Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh for the bombing.^[7] The Bangladesh Army later found four dead bodies of militants at the suspected hideout.^[1][8]

Background

On Thursday, 23 March 2017, the Bangladesh Police surrounded a suspected militant hideout in South Surma Upazila, Sylhet, Bangladesh. Later, a SWAT team joined the police unit from Dhaka.^[9] The housing complex has two apartment buildings. The Police unit was reinforced with personal from Rapid Action Battalion on Friday.^[10] On Saturday, the 1st Para Commando Battalion took charge of operations and named it Operation Twilight.^[10] Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) chief Shaikh Abdur Rahman was also arrested from Sylhet city in 2006.^[11]

Bombing

On 26 March 2017 militants bombed a crowd of about 500-600 people gathered near the police perimeter,^[12] which was about 400 metres from the militant hideout.^[13] There were two bombs used in the attack, the first was thrown by two individuals from a motorcycle and the second one was left in a bag containing vegetables. Six people, including two police officers were killed in the explosion.^[14] The second explosion occurred after police and RAB personal moved to the area after the first explosion.^[13] 44 people were injured in the explosion.^[15] The first explosion took place at 6:45 pm and the second one at 7:55 pm.^[16] Lieutenant Colonel Abul Kalam Azad, director of intelligence of RAB was serious injured in the explosion. He was taken to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College, then Dhaka’s Combined Military Hospital. He was shifted to Singapore for better treatment.^[17] Police inspector Monirul Islam of the bomb disposal squad and inspector Abu Kawser were killed in the second explosion.^[18] Lieutenant Colonel Abul Kalam Azad died from his injuries.^[2]

Operations

Operation Twilight was launched by the 1st Para Commando Battalion of Bangladesh Army under the command of GOC of 17th Infantry Division in Jalalabad Cantonment Major General Anwarul Momen.^[19] The main gate of the building was blocked by the militants with a refrigerator with an IED attached to it.^[20] The building had 30 apartments and 150 rooms, the militants were constantly changing their location.^[21] The operation was launched on Saturday morning around 8am. The Commando unit was being assisted by SWAT and Bangladesh Police.^[22] Security forces established a three kilometre perimeter around the militant hideout. The commandos rescued 78 civilians trapped in the building from Thursday.^[23] Two militants were killed in the initial attack, one of who detonated a suicide vest. The militants had planted IEDs all over the building which slowed down the military operation.^[24] Army spokesman, Brigadier General Fakhrul Ahsan, reported that the operation would take more time because of the presence of IEDs in "strategic points" in the building. The Bangladesh Army used RPGs and shells to drive the militants out without much success.^[25] The commandos also used Armoured Personnel Carriers in the operation.^[26] Finally four militants were found dead at the hideout.^[1][8]

References