Former Pulo insurgent shot dead
Village head gunned down in southern violence
A former insurgent in the Pattani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo) was shot to death in a rubber plantation in Narathiwat’s Ruso district hours after a village head was gunned down in the neighbouring province of Pattani.
The bullet-ridden body of Tore Jewaemueror, 53, was found on Tuesday morning.
Police initially believed the motive for the killing was to silence the victim after he refused to join the Runda Kumputlan Kecil (RKK) insurgent movement.
The victim was invited to join the group after several leading RKK members lost their lives in extrajudicial killings.
Last night in Pattani’s Saiburi district, a village head was shot dead while he was going home.
Ma Jeha, 49, was ambushed 500 metres from his home by a gunman armed with an AK47 assault rifle. Two spent bullet cases were collected at the scene. An investigation is under way to find the cause — whether the killing is related to the southern violence or a personal conflict.
Jeha, a developer who worked in the civil society network, had cooperated with the authorities. His body was buried Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile in Si Sa Khon district, police and troops jointly raided a house and engaged in an exchange of gunfire with suspected insurgents.
Following 30-minute shootout, a suspected insurgent leader, Abdulromae Jehnae, 49, was found dead. He was wanted on several arrest warrants.
The authorities also arrested three suspects, who were identified as Russalan Yuemae, 34, Akuaya Jehnae, and Roki Jehsoh, 23.
