A commander of the militant Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), who was allegedly responsible for the killing of Squadron Leader Rizwan Rushdi of Bangladeshi military intelligence in November 2022, has been captured in Cox’s Bazar.
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) spokesman Commander Khandaker Al Moin told The Irrawaddy that Hazeef Noor Mohammad, 29, of Maungdaw in Rakhine State, was directly involved in the killing of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence officer.
The RAB spokesman said more than 450 young people were also discovered being trained by ARSA.
Five other ARSA members – Mohammad Hossain Johor, 30, Mohammad Faruk, 23, Monir Ahammod, 36, Noor Islam, 29, and Mohammad Yasin, 21 – were reportedly detained on the border in connection with an arms case on Sunday.
Nearly 70 people, including ARSA commander-in-chief Ataullah Abu Ammar Jununi, were prosecuted for the abduction and killing of Rizwan Rushdi on the border in Bandarban last year during a military operation.
Official investigations were made into the failed operation, leading to the withdrawal of several commanders from operations in Cox’s Bazar.
“Hazeef Noor Mohammad had a crucial role in the death of the officer,” the RAB spokesman said.
On Saturday, RAB said it arrested the commander in a Cox’s Bazar raid, leading to the seizure of five more ARSA members in Tekhnaf’s forests.
RAB claimed to have seized two pistols, five other firearms and cash.
Commander Khandaker Al Moin said Noor Mohammad led around 30 ARSA personnel and was involved in killings, abductions, drug dealing and extortion in Kutupalong’s refugee camps.
Noor joined ARSA in 2016 and is suspected of involvement in 15 murders, including the targeted killings of Rohingya leaders.
There are reports this month of fighting between ARSA and the Arakan Army in Myanmar and ARSA and the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation in Bangladesh.
No statement from ARSA was available.
ARSA first emerged in 2016 when it reportedly attacked three police outposts in Maungdaw and Rathedaung townships, followed by more attacks in 2017, allegedly killing about 12 officers. The attacks were used as an excuse by Myanmar’s military to drive more than 1 million Rohingya from Rakhine State into Bangladesh.
