Security forces on alert for revenge attacks

SOUTH

PATTANI : Security forces in the deep South have been put on high alert for fear of possible revenge attacks following the killing of six suspected insurgents in a raid in Pattani's Khok Pho district.

Chief of the Joint Security Command Lt Gen Kasikorn Kirisri has told the army, police force and civilians in the restive South to brace for possible insurgent attacks in retaliation for the deaths of the six suspects, said Col Prinya Chaidilok, the command spokesman, yesterday.

Two soldiers were also killed in Tuesday's raid during a firefight between combined security forces and the suspected rebel group.

Col Banphot Phunphian, a spokesman for the Internal Security Operations Command's Region 4, defended the bloody incident, saying the insurgents had refused to surrender and started shooting at security personnel.

The security forces had first tried getting local Muslim leaders to convince the insurgent suspects to turn themselves in when the house they took shelter in was surrounded, he said.

A religious leader tried to talk the rebel suspects into giving up for three hours through a loudspeaker but instead they started shooting, he said.

Meanwhile, an arson attack carried out in what was thought to be retaliation for Tuesday's raid was reported at the Tambon Makrut Administration Office in the district at 1.30am yesterday.