Rangers' pickup truck bombed

Four paramilitary rangers were injured when suspected insurgents detonated a bomb near the Joh I Rong-Pa Phai railway in Narathiwat's Joh I Rong district yesterday.

The home-made bomb went off at around 9am when a pickup truck carrying six members of the Ranger Unit 4502 passed a local bridge on its way to the 45th regiment in Rangae district. It is believed that insurgents hiding inside a nearby rubber plantation had detonated the device.

Security officers inspecting the bomb scene managed to disarm another bomb buried in a 20-kilogram fire extinguisher. They believe the insurgents were planning to attack officials sent to investigate the first blast.

In Yala's Muang district, security officials said the recent arrest of suspected insurgent Hamdi Tolubo, 27, led officials to search his hiding place in Khao Yala cave in Bang Begu. They seized camping gear, food, clothing and solar cell panels, which would be collected for fingerprint and DNA samples. Hamdi, said to be in the same group as the wanted Romeulee Meesa, 25, was involved allegedly in the January 24 attack that killed two monks.