Four die, six wounded in Pattani incidents

A ranger was wounded in a presumed insurgent assault on a Pattani base on Sunday night, while four residents were killed and another five wounded in a roadside attack on their vehicle a short time later in Pattani's Nong Chik district.

The authorities believe the assailants in both incidents were from the same group, although there is still conflicting information on who attacked the pickup, killing the four.

The victims were taken to Nong Chik hospital, where the wounded are now being treated.

Initial police investigation showed that an unknown number of men used an M79 grenade launcher in their attack on a ranger base in Nong Chik district at about 10pm last night. One soldier suffered slight injuries.

The rangers pursued the attackers. On the Pattani to Yala Route 418, they came upon the wreckage of a bulletriddled pickup truck and discovered the bodies of four individuals and five wounded. All were taken to hospital.

The authorities initially believed the assailants attacked the ranger base, later firing on the pick up truck as they were fleeing

Police are investigating reports that the rangers pursuing the assailants fired at the pickup truck after assuming that gunfire erupted from the vehicle.

Investigators did not speculate as to which group was responsible for the incidents.