One soldier killed, buildings bombed in ‘most serious attack ever’

Suspected insurgents yesterday evening created chaos in Yala’s Muang district with a string of bomb and shooting attacks that left one soldier dead and blacked out the southern town’s power grid.

Yala Deputy Governor Winyu Thongsakul described the attacks as “the most serious ever’’ in the southern border province.

Gunmen on motorcycles shot at people and threw petrol bombs into shops and houses, causing serious damage to several of the buildings.

Road spikes were scattered in several areas, in an attempt to slow down pursing authorities.

At least eight targets were hit in the synchronised raid, which included the bombing of a newly opened cinema complex and a hotel cafe, as well as arson attacks on another hotel, a warehouse, and a row of shops, according to police radio.

A soldier identified as Private Somporn Boonrit was shot dead in a clash with insurgents. One suspected insurgent, identified as Sakkariya Todeng, was injured in a shootout with police and arrested.

Nineteen other people were injured, including three policemen who suffered gunshot wounds. Two of the officers were seriously wounded.

“We have taken 19 injured people and one dead person to our hospital,” a health worker at Yala Hospital Centre told Reuters by telephone.

“Most of the injured people were hurt by bomb attacks,” she said.

“A couple of bombs” were also defused, said Special Branch Police chief Prung Boonpadung.

The power outage occurred at about 8pm after transformers were attacked.

Deputy Governor Winyu said the transformers were shot at by insurgents, adding that power was back on again by 8.30pm.

One source said the blackout occurred after a bomb exploded at a power station in Muang district.

Three more bombs exploded near a hotel, a restaurant and a 7-Eleven convenience store, which is located near the provincial hospital, said a policeman, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Security personnel were sent to secure government offices throughout the main district of the Muslim-majority province.

Paitoon Pattapat, a company executive in Yala, said the authorities had instructed local residents to remain in their homes.

Army spokesman Colonel Somkuan Saengpataraneth said the regional Army commander had ordered soldiers into the area and that they had successfully brought the situation under control.

He declined to give details of the incidents.

Meanwhile, Ahama Islamluji, 45, a police sergeant in Narathiwat’s Bacho district, was shot and injured while riding his motorcycle home early yesterday.

Later in the day, villager Yiam Jumphan, 66, was shot dead while riding a motorcycle to visit his son in Narathiwat’s Sungai Padi district.

The Nation, Agencies
YALA