Arakan Army leader held

A joint team of police and BGB yesterday arrested a leader of Arakan Army, a Myanmar separatist group, in Rangamati's Rajasthali upazila.

The team caught Rannin Soe, 45, from Islampur area around 3:00am.

He was arrested on charges of trespassing and criminal activities, said Wahidullah Sarker, officer-in-charge of Rajasthali Police Station.

Soe confessed to his involvement with Arakan Army, the police official said.

The Myanmar national has been living in Rajasthali since 1993, and is a leader of the separatist group, according to police.

Soe, a local doctor, has got political asylum in the Netherlands.

On August 26, a group of Arakan Army attacked a Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) patrol team in Thanchi of Bandarban. A BGB member was injured then.

After the incident, Soe went into hiding.

Aung Nu Young, 25, a suspected Arakan Army member, was held from Soe's Rajasthali house.

Later, Cha Sui Aung Marma and Mong Cha Aung Marma, caretakers of the house, were also nabbed.