Six bikes set on fire in Yala as schools reopen

Security officials in Betong district said they were on the lookout for two potential car bombs and one motorcycle bomb after receiving a tip-off from an intelligence agency. 

Meanwhile, Narathiwat Governor Natthapong Sirichana yesterday announced that progress had been made in five key cases, with authorities apprehending three suspects and issuing arrest warrants for five others.

Nine suspects were identified as being behind the February 20 triple bomb attack in Muang Narathiwat, which injured 17 people, and arrest warrants were issued for five of them, namely the alleged leader Torhe, Sukipli Masa, Reeduan Sulong, Isma-ae Jehsoh, and Amri Wannamat. Three of the suspects are already in custody, he added. 

Meanwhile, the rangers recently arrested two suspects – Sorfri Seumae and Asisan Madahe – along with two guns that they allegedly confessed to using to gun down four Buddhist villagers in Sukhirin district on April 12. The two suspects, along with six accomplices including alleged leader Sorlae Maseng, claimed they were each given Bt3,000 for the attack. Sorfri and Asisan were also implicated in another bomb attack against Chanae district chief and senior clerk, Natthapong said.

Police also arrested suspect Udiman Samoh for allegedly shooting and wounding Tanyonglimo subdistrict administrative organisation clerk Orasa Ngernmak on April 16. Police confiscated an M16 rifle, which was allegedly stolen from a Rangae district military base on January 19, 2011. Udiman has reportedly confessed to joining four others in this attack, he said, adding that arrest warrants would be sought for the others. 

Also arrested recently were Abdul-hareng Wawae and Nawawi Yakoh. Police seized an Uzi sub-machinegun, which was also stolen in 2011. Nawawi had allegedly joined suspected insurgent Maroso Chantarawadi in an assault against a military outpost on February 13, 2013, which may also be linked to six other cases, Natthapong said. 

Meanwhile, in Pattani’s Ma-Yor district, village defence volunteer Deunan Jehdo, 35, was shot dead late on Tuesday night while he was returning home from work on a motorbike. He was ambushed by unknown gunmen near a local bridge and shot in the chest, hip and torso, and pronounced dead in Pattani Hospital yesterday morning.

In related news, Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan granted unmanned aerial vehicles or drones to the Army for use in security operations in the South, which were accepted by Deputy Defence Minister General Udomdej Sitabutr in his capacity as Army chief. 

The aircraft are able to operate in a radius of more than 10 kilometres for at least an hour and a half and have the capacity to fly up to 500 metres. The drones can be controlled manually from base or fly automatically. All are equipped with cameras. The devices will be used for patrols in the southernmost provinces to reduce the risk of attacks on security officials.