Chief Coordinator of KNF arrested in Bandarban by RAB

In a significant crackdown on Sunday, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Cheusim Bawm, the 55-year-old chief coordinator of the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), from his residence in Sualok in Sadar upazila of Bandarban.

Col Sazzad, commanding officer of RAB-15, announced the arrest at a press briefing held at the Bandarban Zila Parishad Auditorium.

The operation marked a critical step in combating the activities of KNF, which according to RAB, was formed under the pretext of a cultural organisation by Roal Lin Bawm and Cheusim Bawm, with links to KNF chief Nathan Bawm.

The arrest follows statements made by General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Army Staff, regarding the arrest of two suspected KNF members with arms earlier in the day.

This action is part of a larger RAB initiative against terrorism in Bandarban, which saw over 100 members launch an operation on Saturday, targeting Ruma and Thanchi upazilas.

Khandaker Al Moin, director of RAB's legal and media wing, had briefed the media about the commencement of this operation, which seeks to dismantle the network of terror rooted in the region. This operation comes on the heels of the successful rescue of Nizam Uddin, the abducted manager of Sonali Bank's Ruma branch, underscoring the severity of KNF's criminal undertakings, including recent bank robberies in Thanchi Upazila.

The incidents have precipitated a tense atmosphere in the affected upazilas, prompting visits from senior home ministry officials, security forces, and administration representatives. In response to these activities, eight cases have been filed with Ruma and Thanchi police stations, signaling a robust legal follow-up to the ongoing security operations.