BSF praises Bangladesh's operation against JMB militants

The Border Security Force (BSF) on Wednesday praised Bangladesh Army's Para Commando battalion for their successful operation against Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terrorists in Sylhet.

"They displayed a very high level of operational maturity and that too without any collateral damage in 'Operation Twilight' in Sylhet on Saturday," Inspector General, BSF in-charge Meghalaya frontier, P.K.Dubey told IANS.

"In the recent times, they (Bangladesh forces) have also successfully smashed these terrorists in Chittagong and the fact is that they isolated the JMB elements," he said.

Asked if the recent development in Bangladesh is also a security threat to India, Dubey said: "Anything that is happening near the international border is always a threat to both nations. We are cooperating with the Border Guards of Bangladesh and they are sharing us information on the situation inside Bangladesh and if any of the unwanted elements are attempting to crossover to India."

"Our troopers are on high alert along the India-Bangladesh after a series of blasts in Bangladesh," he added.

BSF officials have shared intelligence inputs with Meghalaya Police following the explosions, he added.

"We are not taking any chances with such activities and all necessary measures have been taken to prevent perpetrators from entering our side of the border," Dubey said.

India has a 1,880 km border with Bangladesh along four states - Tripura (856 km), Assam (263 km), Meghalaya (443 km), and Mizoram (318 km).

On Friday, Sylhet police and personnel from police's counterterrorism unit cordoned off a housing complex at Shibbari neighbourhood, some 240 km from capital Dhaka.

Bangladesh Army Para-Commando Battalion took charge of the operation from police on Saturday and began the assault on the complex housing a five-storey and a four-storey building.

The same Bangladeshi commandos stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka's diplomatic enclave Gulshan on July 2 last year.

In the wake of the Dhaka cafe attack, Bangladesh has conducted a series of large-scale operations against militants.

Bangladeshi Police have hunted down and killed scores of militants linked to the terror attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery, in which 20 hostages, mostly foreigners, were killed.

--IANS

rrk/vd