Muslim Insurgents Kill Soldier, 2 Volunteers in Thailand’s Deep South

PATTANI -Armed Muslim insurgents have attacked a local protection units killing a soldier and two defense volunteers in Pattani Province of southern Thailand.

A soldier and two defense volunteers were killed, and three others injured, during a Tuesday night attack by suspected insurgents on a village security post in Thailand’s Deep South, Maj. Gen. Piyawat Chalermsri said.

The Muslim insurgents threw grenades and fired at the security personnel during the attack targeting a Tambon Defense Force post in Muang Pattani, a district of Pattani province, officials said.

Yannapong Ubonban, the district’s police chief, said the attack occurred before 9 p.m. and resulted in a gun battle. Following the attack, police discovered the three bodies along with the three injured volunteers.

“An unknown group of assailants rode motorcycles to the area and threw grenades and fired guns in the attack,” Yannapong said.

Brazened Bombing Attack

“They then poured fuel in an attempt to burn two of the injured volunteers, setting off a gun battle before they fled.”

The insurgents also spread nails and burned tires on the route leading from Pattani to neighboring Yala province.

The mainly Muslim and Malay-speaking Deep South have suffered from a separatist insurgent uprising that has left about 7,000 dead since 2004.

Suspected Muslim Insurgents in Coma

Meanwhile on Tuesday, Thai military doctors reported that the brain of Abdullah Esomuso, a 34-year-old suspected Muslim insurgent, was unresponsive after he fell into a coma and was hospitalized.

“The patient arrived at the hospital without consciousness but had a stable pulse with high-dose heart stimulants.

The next morning, we reduced heart and pressure stimulants though his brain is still unresponsive,” Dr. Suphak Phulsawat said.

The army has established fact-finding committees to investigate what caused Abdullah to slip into a coma.

Pramote Prom-in, a spokesman for the military’s regional command, said the army would seek to conclude its investigation quickly.

Source: Thairath, Benar News