8 killed in ‘shootout’ between 2 armed groups in Bandarban: police

Eight people were killed during a "shootout" between two armed groups at Rowangchhari upazila in Bandarban on Thursday night, said police.

The United People's Democratic Front (Democratic) and Kuki-Chin National Army, the military unit of Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), were engaged in the gunbattle, local officials suspect.

Creating an atmosphere of fear, the violence led at least 90 families of three villages to flee their homes and took shelter in Ruma and Rowangchhari upazilas.

Abdul Mannan, officer-in-charge of Rowangchhari Police Station, said two groups had been exchanging fire for the last two days over establishing supremacy in the hills of Khamtang Para and nearby areas.

On information, police recovered the eight bullet-ridden bodies near the Ruma-Rowangchhari link road around 12:30pm yesterday, he added.

The bodies were sent to Bandarban Sadar Hospital for autopsy.

The authorities are yet to provide any names of the deceased while local sources said seven of them were from Zurvarawng village while another from Pankhiong Para of Ruma upazila.