Suspected tribal rebels kill Bangladesh soldier

DHAKA, Dec 18 (Reuters) A Bangladesh army officer was killed in an ambush by suspected tribal rebels in the southeast of the country, security officials said today.

The officer was leading an army patrol yesterday night when it was attacked near Rangamati hill town, 350 km southeast of the capital Dhaka.

Rangamati is the main town in Chittagong Hill Tracts the scene of a 25-year-old tribal insurgency for regional autonomy.

The rebels in the 5,500 sq miles Hill Tracts region laid down arms after a peace deal with the Bangladesh government in late 1997.

But some guerrillas opposed the deal and small groups still take on security forces as well as non-tribal settlers in the region, officials said.

More than 8,500 people were killed and some 70,000 were displaced during the insurgency.

REUTERS MS PM1311