Village chief, soldier killed in separate attacks in Narathiwat
Play
A VILLAGE CHIEF IN Narathiwat's Muang district was shot dead by a gunman in a pickup truck yesterday morning while riding his motorcycle down a local road.
Abdulloh Da-oh, 48, was fatally hit by three bullets in the torso. Police put the shooting down to the insurgency in the deep South, which has been hit by violence for about a decade already.
Separately, a motorcycle bomb exploded in Narathiwat’s Rangae district on Wednesday, killing one soldier instantly.
The death toll rose to two yesterday when another soldier succumbed to injuries.
As of press time, six victims remained hospitalised and one of them, Private Anupon Lim-arun, had to have his left leg amputated.
An ongoing police investigation showed that the motorcycle used in the explosion had been stolen from a policeman who was shot dead two years ago. The prime suspect behind this blast has been identified as Manu Mama, who is on the run.
Manu is believed to be behind several violent incidents, including a bomb attack on October 19, in which several security officials and reporters were injured.
Climate of fear
In Yala, police found burning tyres and bomb-like items at several locations yesterday. Police said bomb-like items – namely electrical wires tied up with adhesive tape – were possibly used to spread fear.
Witnesses told police that they had seen four young men on two motorcycles riding around the area where the items were found.
In a related development, police arrested suspected arsonist Rosa Mabo in Songkhla’s Thepha district at about 1am yesterday morning. Rosa was wanted for allegedly setting fire to a furniture shop on August 2.
