Report: Soodh
- MNDF officer held hostage rescued
The special operation conducted by Maldives Police Services MPS and Maldives National Defense Force MNDF in Himandhoo came to end yesterday morning when the breakaway radical religious group surrendered to the joint commandoes without any conditions.
According to press release from Information Ministry about 100 officers of MPS and MNDF were involved in the operation. The officers were dispatched on suspicion that 2 of the fugitives wanted in the Sultan Park explosion on the 29 of September could be on the island.
At the beginning of the operation, houses in Himandhoo were searched. Then police forces gathered near the mosque built and used the radical group for their prayers. Police officers wanted to search the compound for the wanted fugitives. On arrival to that area, police found that a group of 70 masked men armed with wooden clubs, iron rods, spears and bricks guarding the mosque used by the fanatical group.
Police officers requested the religious breakaway group to grant them accesses to search the area and mosque for the fugitives. Police also requested the fanatical group to lay down their arms and to take their masks off. The fanatical responded by saying that the police may conduct the search but they too should take their helmets and masks off, lay down their batons , remove their protective armor and switch off their video cameras. The standoff began here.
The standoff lasted for several hours and finally at around 4.30 in the evening the violent confrontations began. As police officers could not control the situation, Defense forces came to the rescue which resulted in violent clashes. More officers were dispatched to Himandhoo to control the situation late yesterday evening.
The confrontation resulted in heavy casualties on both sides. According to a press conference at held Coast Guard building of the Maldives National Defense Force Major Ibrahim Afzal said that in addition to the defense force officer taken hostage, 15 Maldivian defense force officers sustained varying degrees of injuries.
Major Afzal also revealed that officer taken as hostage received serious injuries including a broken arm and severe head injuries. The hostage was identified at the press conference as Private Ibrahim Rasheed of Meehi Gasdhoshuge Baa Thulhaa. After several negotiations with the breakaway religious fanatical group, Officer Ibrahim Rasheed was released at around 1.30 yesterday morning.
Major Afzal also said that the religious fanatical group was well prepared for the confrontations.” Two of them were carrying sharp swords, defense forces in this operation did not use any weapons; no damage to the mosque, which the radicals were using for prayers, were inflicted by MNDF officers“.
According to press release issued by Ministry of Information Arts issued yesterday, 15 Maldives Defense Officers 19 Police Officers and a number of people from the religious fanatical group suffered varying degrees of injuries. The press release states one police officer has been left with severed fingers.
Already one officer has been flown to Sri Lanka for emergency medical treatment and more officers are to be flown soon says the press release.
Information Ministry’s press release states that nearly 50 radicals have been arrested by the defense forces and has been handed over to police services. Search of the island is still going on.
Alfu Alfu Himandhoo which has a population of 600 has a land area of nearly 23 hectors is situated approximately 90 kilometers away from Male’.
VELIDHOO COMMUNITY
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