Gunshots reported in hills near Rohingya camp in Teknaf

A fierce gunfight between two armed groups over territorial dominance has reportedly erupted in the hilly area adjacent to Rohingya camps in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. During the exchange, several bullets landed inside a camp of the Bangladesh Armed Police Battalion (APBn). The APBn members later fired back to bring the situation under control.

The gunfight began around 10:30 pm on Sunday, November 9, and continued for nearly two hours in the Nayapara Mouchhuni registered camp area of Teknaf.

According to local sources, incidents of clashes and gunfights among armed Rohingya groups have recently increased in camps such as Nayapara, Mouchhuni, Jadimura, and Leda. Gunfire is often heard from nearby hilly areas. Following that pattern, a gunfight broke out on Sunday night among the groups led by Nur Kamal, Saddam, and Saleh at Mouchhuni registered camp, spreading panic among camp residents and nearby villages.

Nayapara camp resident Salimullah said, “I was asleep after dinner when the sound of gunfire woke me up. My entire family panicked, and the children started crying. We couldn’t sleep all night in fear.”

Local resident Siraj Mia said, “As my house is close to the camp, we live in constant fear. These armed Rohingya robbers often enter homes, assault people, and abduct them at gunpoint. They frequently fire shots in the camp and hills to spread fear.”

Commander of Teknaf-16 Armed Police Battalion, Additional DIG Md Kawsar Sikder, said, “On Sunday night, a gunfight broke out among Rohingya bandits Nur Kamal, Saddam, and Saleh groups over territorial dominance. Several bullets fired during the clash landed inside our Mouchhuni camp. Police then fired blank shots to control the situation.”

He further said, “These armed groups are hiding in the hills, making their arrest difficult. However, APBn members continue to conduct regular operations in the area.”