Yala gunfight leaves 3 dead

Following a tip-off, a combined force of the Army and police at 7.55am surrounded a house where insurgents of the same network as the late Masorbe Yako were said to be hiding in preparation to launch another attack on security forces.

As the officials were going into the house to search, the suspects inside opened fire on them, triggering a 10-minute gunfight. Later it was found that a suspect insurgent, Sofwan, or Supian Beunae, 26, who was wanted under the Emergency Law had killed with an M16 gun on him.

A Bannang Sata police officer, Pol Sgt-Major Sangsan Kalong, 39, and special task-force member, Sgt-Major 1st Class Pongsathorn Nirapai, were also killed, while special-task-force member Corporal Khamron Jommas, 24, sustained a head injury and was hospitalised.

After the gunfight, the officials called on any insurgents who might remain in the house to surrender but received no response, so they decided to raid the house at noon, using smoke bombs and tear gas, but found no one inside.

The officials also seized eight small gas tanks and three 15-kilogram gas tanks from the house and will question the sister of the deceased insurgent about what they planned to do with them.

The bathing rite was held for the two officials at 4pm at Wat Buddhaphumi in Nakhon Yala Municipality.