Village chiefs shot dead in restive South

Rosah Isormusorm, 47, was found lying dead on the side of a backroad in Tambon Ngern-ngam of Raman district. He was heading to a local fresh market on his motorbike at the time of the incident.

The same district on Sunday also witnessed the shooting death of Ahama Lakuning, 33, a former ranger from the area.

On Sunday, village chief of Kuching Reupah of Narathiwat's Rangae district, Arong Yusoh, 61, was shot dead as he was driving his pickup truck with his wife and children inside.

According to police report, the culprits cut off Arong on the backroad and came to a stop. A gunman with M16 jumped out and fired four shots at him before fleeing the scene.

More than 3,300 people have been killed since January 2004, mostly Malay Muslims. Human rights groups have accused both the insurgents and government death squads of carrying out target killings.