DHAKA / AGARTALA, Dec 9 (TIWN / bdnews24): At least eight Tripura militants were killed during an encounter with a combined team of Bangladesh security force confirmed a top intelligence official here on condition of anonymity. According to the source, the combine team of the Bangladesh army and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) had an encounter with the militants of the banned National Liberation Front of Tripura (BM fraction) under the leadership of Rathamani Koloi. In the skirmish eight NLFT militants were killed and later during search the combined team recovered huge quantity of arms, ammunition and communication equipments. The team recovered around seven semi-machine guns, pistols, revolvers, 600 rounds of live cartridges, grenades, magazines, bombs, fuses, detonators, cables, handsets and VHF sets besides other discriminating documents.Search operation is still going on and the combined teams along with laborers are digging suspected areas in search of concealed weapons.

The incident took place at Naraicherra close to Segunbagan in Chittagong Hill Track of Bangladesh on the December 1 last.

Meantime, it is learned that the combined team also raided the NLFT camp at Khaslong area at Sankhacherri and during the encounter one civilian was killed in the cross fire.

The operation was launched on the basis of information provided by a detained self-styled major of NLFT Karna Debbarma, aliases Kwaplai.

He was arrested from the house of one Jewel Debbarma, a former ATTF militant at Four Mile area on Khagrachari-Dighinala road of Khagrachiri district on November 23 last.

However, as the news of arrest of Kwaplai came out immediately all the 36 NLFT leaders who were living in rental housed in Dighinala area apprehending arrest fled along with the family members reportedly towards Keuman Headman Para in Bandarban district of Chittagong.

On not finding the NLFT leader the combined team later destroyed the Silchari boat camp of the NLFT on November 24 and on the following day destroyed the NLFT headquarters in the same area but in the meantime Kwaplai managed to escape.

Again on 26 November the team destroyed the Mandircherra camp of the militant from where they recovered six automatic weapons and the next day the team proceeded towards Taglakhandi camp of NLFT where the force also destroyed camps of other northeast India militant camps of the HNLC and NDRF.

Two HNLC militants were also arrested along with two arms during the raid.

Meantime, apprehending raids from Bangladesh security forces few NLFT camps close to Tripura border and at Segunbagan area had gone off however, camps at Kam-Kotal, Silchari and Jupui are still in air.

Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar though did not confirm the incident but said: “We also have such report but at this position cannot comment as have to confirm.”

Earlier, during a press conference B N Sharma, Inspector General Tripura Frontier BSF though did not wanted to give details but said that he has information that the BGB is conducting special flush out operations against the Indian militants across the border in the CHT area.

It is learned that after the recovery of huge quantity of arms and ammunition by RAB in Satcheri area which were once ATTF camps later captured by the NLFT the Bangladesh authority has decided to conduct such operation in the CHT areas as it was requested by the Indian BSF during the recent concluded IG level talks at Sylhet.