Shooting lures officials to bomb assault

A Yala villager was fatally shot on Thursday night, and then police and soldiers investigating the scene were hit with a roadside bomb.

Fortunately, no one was injured when the explosive device was detonated in Bannang Sata district's Uber village in Tambon Bacho.

About 20 soldiers, police and Interior Ministry officials rushed to the scene of the shooting at around 8.15pm. The victim was identified as Rosalee Toni, 28, a former Royal Thai Navy sailor.

The security personnel were travelling in nine vehicles. About two kilometres before they reached the scene, the roadside bomb was detonated.

Police said the insurgents also fired at the vehicles. There was an exchange of gunfire before the assailants retreated.

Yala police dispatched its bomb squad to check the scene on Friday morning. They were accompanied by the Yala police chief, Pol Maj-General Pira Boonliang. They found that the home-made five-kilogram bomb had been tied to an electric pole, which was toppled by the blast and caused a power outage in the village.