Radical Group Surrender To National Defense Force

Radical Religious Group in Himandhoo Island Surrender to National Defense Force

A special operation which began yesterday in the island of Himandhoo, by the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) has ended this morning with the radical religious group from the island surrendering to the authorities without any conditions.

This operation began with close to 100 Police and MNDF officers being dispatched to the island of Alif Alif Atoll Himandhoo on suspicion that two of the fugitive suspects related to the Sultan Park explosion of 29 September 2007 which left 12 tourists injured could be on the island.

Operation Unfolding

At the initial stage of this operation the island of Himandhoo was first searched by the Police house by house. After this the Police converged near the praying compound used by the radical religious group in search of those suspects. By then the praying compound of the radical religious group was surrounded by over 70 masked men wearing red helmets, armed with wooden planks, spears, swords, bricks, iron rods and catapults.

The Police for hours voiced their request to be allowed access to search the praying compound and assured the religious radicals that they had not come to destroy or damage their praying compound. The standoff began from here when the radical group laid down conditions for entry to the compound.

The standoff which lasted till about 4.30pm on Sunday finally resulted in clashes. The Defense Force stepped in to assist the Police from here. Members of the radical religious group confronted the Police and Defense Force resulting in violent clashes.

Reinforcements from the Defense Force were dispatched at 9.50pm last night to Himandhoo in order to contain the situation.

Clash and Injuries

The clash resulted in casualties from both sides; one officer from the Defense Force was also taken hostage by the radicals. The incident has left 15 MNDF, 19 Police Officers and a number of the radicals with various degrees of injuries.

ENDS

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