3 rangers killed by powerful bomb blast

A fourth ranger and an assistant district chief were seriously wounded in the attack by an unknown number of insurgents. The two men's condition later improved, their doctors said.

The group was on its way to a community activity in a village when the buried, 20-kilogram cooking-gas tank packed with explosives was detonated.

The blast dug a one- by 2.5-metre crater in the middle of Atabeurae-Beunapiyae Road.

Sakaree Reemaeya, Muhammadsaidi Hayeehaya and Adeurang Sau were killed instantly while the fourth ranger, Adeunan Makae, and assistant district chief Waesamae Jeaha were taken to hospital in critical condition.

Police gathering evidence at the scene found a letter written in both Thai and Yawi (Pattani-Malay dialect) from a group called "Muslimin Dalowittaya" claiming responsibility for the attack.

They said it was in response to the violent incidents in the border provinces that they claimed were masterminded by state officials.

Colonel Somjit Nasomyont, deputy commander of Narathiwat police, said police would check whether this group actually existed.

He believes it might be a sub-group of an insurgent network and has possibly carried out other attacks in Bacho. Colonel Banpot Poolpian, spokesman for the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, said there were several groups instigating violence in Bacho. The authorities will therefore check information first before determining whether the group was real.