Southern Thailand Army Rangers Injured by Muslim Insurgent Bomb

BANGKOK – Four army rangers were injured on Monday when a bomb hidden under the surface of a road by suspected Muslim insurgents went off, toppling their pickup truck.

Bannang Satar district in Yala police said the 20-kilogram bomb in a gas cylinder was detonated when the vehicle of the rangers reached the spot where the explosion was buried.

Its impact caused a big hole of two meters wide and a meter deep and sent the vehicle to land on its side.

Sub Lt Anuwat Chuchana and three other rangers were hurt and sent to hospital in Bannang Satar district of Yala, province.

The army rangers were identified as Ekkachai Srikhamlue, Chukiat Uttaang and Pratheep Thaeminpana.

A spokesperson for the Internal Security Operations Command based, said police and soldiers were collecting evidence to try to find the suspected Muslim insurgent bombers.

Meanwhile, Army Rangers seized a camp of Muslim insurgents after an exchange of fire in southern Thailand’s Narathiwat Province on Sunday morning.

The clash occurred at about 10am after the government force, led by the 45th Ranger Task Force, were deployed in three teams to patrol Khao Tawe mountain range near Ban Hae in tambon Bongo.

The deployment followed information that an armed Muslim insurgent group led by Abdulloh Bula and Muhammad Kadir was in the area to hold a meeting to plan terrorist attacks

Source: Bangkok Post