Armed Clashes and Demonstrations Erupt in Chittagong Hill Tracts
Intense armed clashes and coordinated demonstrations involving regional factions JSS and UPDF have broken out across multiple locations in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Security tensions remain high following successive incidents in Panchhari, Sajek, and Matiranga.
A series of violent confrontations and armed demonstrations involving regional factions the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS-Main) and the United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF-Main) have shaken the Chittagong Hill Tracts. According to verified reports, the unrest spans several areas within the region, specifically targeting locations in Panchhari upazila of Khagrachhari, Sajek in Rangamati, and Matiranga in Khagrachhari. These developments highlight a significant escalation in tensions between the rival armed groups operating across the hilly terrain.
The first major armed clash occurred on September 5, 2026, in the Taraban area of Chengi Union, located within Panchhari upazila of Khagrachhari. During this engagement, armed cadres from the JSS (Main) faction, specifically a group led by Bibarna Chakma consisting of 25 to 30 members, clashed directly with a rival UPDF (Main) force led by Sumen Chakma, which numbered 35 to 40 members. The fierce gunbattle lasted for an intense duration of 2.5 hours, during which combatants unleashed an estimated 500 to 600 rounds of continuous gunfire.
The violence and posturing extended beyond Panchhari into the following days as regional dynamics continued to destabilize. On September 6, 2026, armed cadres representing the UPDF (Prasit) faction and the JSS (Santu) group took up tactical positions and staged prominent armed demonstrations in Sajek, located within the Rangamati district. Intelligence and field observations indicated that these mobilization efforts involved approximately 90 cadres from the UPDF side and a further 70 to 80 cadres belonging to the JSS group.
In addition to the major mobilization in Sajek and the extended gunfight in Panchhari, further intimidation tactics were recorded in the neighboring district. Gunfire was actively discharged near the touristically sensitive Risang Waterfall area in Matiranga, Khagrachhari. During this specific incident, elements from the UPDF (Prasit) faction fired 10 to 12 rounds alongside about 30 rounds of blank gunfire. When aggregating the heavy weapon activity across the reported operations, authorities documented a total of 40 to 42 rounds of heavy weapon gunfire.
The sequence of events underscores a volatile security environment driven by the competing factions, which include the broader entities of JSS and UPDF alongside splinter alignments such as UPDF-Democratic and JSS-Reform. Local populations and observers monitoring the fifty-year history of the region's socio-political conflicts note that these latest armed demonstrations by figures like Bibarna Chakma, Sumen Chakma, Kohen Chakma, Porantu Chakma, Bikrom Chakma, and Muchang Chakma represent a dangerous renewal of hostilities across Khagrachhari and Rangamati.
