Challenging Kedah terrain in hunt for Rohingya depot escapees
This includes rough terrain ranging some 170 square kilometres, or 24 football fields, and hilly areas.
Bandar Baharu district police chief DSP Mohd Akmal Hizam Abd Khupur said...
Challenging terrain in Bandar Baharu, Kedah is impeding authorities who are tracking down the remaining Rohingya detainees who escaped from the Sungai Bakap Immigration Depot on Wednesday (April 20).
This includes rough terrain ranging some 170 square kilometres, or 24 football fields, and hilly areas.
Bandar Baharu district police chief DSP Mohd Akmal Hizam Abd Khupur said those still on the run are probably hiding in oil palm plantations and orchards.
“Bandar Baharu district has hilly areas and oil palm plantations and orchards. So, the probability that these detainees are hiding (in these places) is high,” he told Bernama when met at the district police headquarters today.
A Bernama reporter and photographer followed the search operation with the police on the first night of the incident at the plantations in Sungai Rambai and witnessed the difficulties faced by the authorities.
The difficulties include dark conditions, rough terrain, and the risk of encountering venomous snakes and scorpions.
In the manhunt, two detainees were arrested after they were found hiding on a farm.
Akmal Hizam said about 30 personnel, including an officer from the General Operations Force (GOF), have been mobilised to track down the remaining fugitives under Op Kesan.
“We need assistance from the GOF as they have the expertise to detect detainees in such areas.
“The teams will conduct searches on the roadsides and we believe with the help of the GOF, we can arrest all the escapees,” he added.
In the 4.30am incident on Wednesday, 528 Rohingya detainees escaped from the depot following a riot. Six of them died after being hit by vehicles on the North-South Expressway. As of 6am, 96 detainees were still on the run.
- Bernama
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
This action cannot be undone.