Rangers among four shot dead in Yala
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Suspected insurgents shot dead three rangers and a housekeeper before burning their pick-up in Yala's Muang district yesterday morning.
Police suspect members of a militant group led by Abdul Roseh Jarong from nearby Tambon Khao Toom in Pattani’s Yarang district carried out the attack.
Muang Yala superintendent Pol Colonel Narin Busaman said the attack took place near Tharn Nampueng School in Tambon Sateng Nok at 6.10am. Police found the bodies of the rangers from paramilitary ranger unit No 41 in Raman district – Somyos Waewphetch, Kampol Mangwong and Panurat Boonthawongsa – and the body of ranger camp housekeeper Porn Naphetch lying on the road near the burning vehicle.
They collected dozens of spent M16 assault rifle bullets and 9mm pistol bullets from the scene.
Police inquiries found that the rangers and housekeeper were travelling to a market when at least five gunmen hiding in a roadside forest opened fire at them with M16 assault rifles and 9mm handguns, before stealing the rangers’ M16 assault rifles, setting fire to the car and fleeing.
Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre director Pol Colonel Thawee Sodsong later attended a bathing ceremony for the four victims at Yala Municipal Crematorium and presented the families of the deceased with Bt500,000 in assistance money. Meanwhile, a combined ranger and police team yesterday afternoon surrounded a durian plantation in Tambon Mareu Bo-ok of Narathiwat’s Joh I Rong district, after a tip-off about insurgents. They seized bomb-making materials and tools that could make 29 bombs (18 booby trap bombs and 11 battery-detonated bombs), but the insurgents escaped.
In related news, Narathiwat police yesterday announced the arrest of Ba Cho district resident and bomb suspect Assan Sama, 23, who allegedly carried out a bomb attack with three others on a team of Thai marines in Muang Narathiwat on August 7, which injured two. Police also issued arrest warrants for three alleged accomplices, aged from 23-35.
