"After the simultaneous attacks on Yala banks on Thursday, we think we have clearer pictures on who are leaders of the insurgents as the attacks took place on Malaysia's national day and establishment day of [The United Front for the Independence of Pattani] Bersatu. We now prepare to launch talks with them," the general said. He did not give further elaboration.
A retired army officer was killed and many others injured when the suspected militants launched simultaneous bomb attacks on all banks in Yala on Thursday.
However he said government forces still do not know for sure who they are fighting as they try to hunt down Islamic insurgents behind a wave of deadly violence in the south.
"I have ordered the military to find their leader," he said. "I will try to talk with their core leader, because otherwise we cannot restore peace in the south."
"Their purpose is clear -- that they wanted to create an independent state," he said.
"I admit that it is difficult to solve the problems in the southern provinces because the attackers are not common criminals, they are insurgents. Therefore, we need to use military strategies to solve the problems," he said.
Apparently in responding to the government's criticism that the army failed to handle the southern situation, the general said the government should provide moral supports to the army instead of blaming them.
Sondhi's comments came after Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra blamed the army for failing to prevent the bombings.
Asked by reporters Thursday how the attacks could have occurred, Thaksin replied, "Go ask the army chief how this happened, since we've known about this for a while."
Meanwhile Lt Gen Ongkorn Thongprasom, Fourth Army Region Commander, said it has been about five to six months that he asked from the army for some more 2,000 soldiers to be deployed in the southern provinces.
He insisted that suppressions on the suspected militants have been more successful, judging from more arrests of suspects and more confiscation of weapons and explosives.
There were some warnings about the Thursday attacks but no one thought that they would attack on the banks. "We will review our plans and deployment of soldiers at many risky areas," Ongkorn said.
The Nation
