Two suspects killed and stolen police gun recovered in Narathiwat
Police killed two suspects linked to the fatal shooting of Tak Bai officers, recovered a stolen firearm and are pursuing one remaining suspect.
Deputy National Police Chief Pol Gen Samran Nuanma led a security operation in Sukhirin district, Narathiwat, on Wednesday (August 5), in which two suspects linked to a fatal attack on police officers were killed during an exchange of fire.
The operation followed the shooting of police officers while they were on duty at an oil palm plantation in Phrai Wan subdistrict, Tak Bai district, on August 2. The attack left two officers dead.
Provincial Police Region 9 Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Piyawat Chalermsri said officers had surrounded a target location in Sukhirin from 2am on Wednesday.
Two suspects believed to have been involved in the Tak Bai shooting were killed during the operation.
The first was identified as 23-year-old Abdul Mukhlis, who was wanted under two arrest warrants in connection with theft and drug distribution cases. Forensic examination found DNA linking him to parts of a firearm seized from a hut at the scene of the earlier attack.
The second suspect, identified as 34-year-old Saman, was also wanted under two arrest warrants on charges of jointly committing murder and theft.
Investigators found that the two men had fled Tak Bai after the attack and travelled to Cho Airong district in Narathiwat for medical treatment. They later hid in Ra-ngae district before moving to a hut in Ban Nam Tok, Moo 5, Sukhirin subdistrict, where activity was detected on Tuesday night.
Security agencies subsequently deployed a joint force to surround and search the location.
Officers found two firearms at the scene. One was identified as a weapon belonging to Tak Bai Police Station that had been stolen during the August 2 attack.
Piyawat said the operation had been conducted as a law-enforcement action based on evidence and established tactical procedures. According to police, the suspects opened fire on officers, leading to an exchange of fire in which both men were killed.
No officers were injured during the operation.
Police have so far identified 14 people allegedly connected to the Tak Bai attack. Eleven have entered the questioning process, two were killed during Wednesday’s operation and one remains at large.
The remaining suspect is accused of helping Abdul Mukhlis and Saman escape. Police are continuing efforts to locate and prosecute the individual.
