11 suspected Islamist militants killed in Bangladesh raids

Security forces asked the militants to surrender, but they refused and began firing, and the security forces fired back, Khan said.

Some firearms, bullets and meat cleavers were found during the raids, said Mufti Mahmud Khan, a spokesman for the Rapid Action Battalion, which was involved in the operations.

Khan said one of the men killed in Gazipur was identified as Akash, a militant who had taken over the JMB’s leadership after former leader Tamim Chowdhury, a Bangladeshi Canadian who fought in Syria for the Islamic State group, was killed along with two associates in a raid in August.

Chowdhury was thought to be the top leader of what the security agencies called the “New JMB.”

Bangladesh has recently been hit by Islamist extremists, with the July 1 restaurant attack leaving 20 hostages dead, including 17 foreigners. Since that attack, the government has intensified its crackdown on suspected militant groups and killed some top JMB leaders.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the restaurant attack, but authorities have denied that, saying that it was the act of JMB, and that the IS has no presence in the Muslim-majority country.

The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

11 suspected Islamist militants killed in Bangladesh raids

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