Ranger hurt, civilian slain in South

Ranger hurt, civilian slain in South

A paramilitary ranger was critically injured by a roadside bomb explosion and an ambush in Sukhirin district of Narathiwat province on Thursday afternoon.

Pol Lt Preecha Prathumchai, duty officer at Sukhirin police station, said the bomb was detonated on the road in front of Juebor mosque at Ban Balukaya-ing in tambon Romsai about 5.10pm.

According to witnesses, 9 members of Ranger Company 1109 were returning from escorting teachers back home on the local road when a bomb planted near a power pole was detonated.

The attackers also opened fire at the rangers with assault weapons. The rangers fired back and the gunmen retreated about five minutes later.

Ranger Anond Thaewdaeng was critically injured, being hit by bullets and shrapnel in his right shoulder and right leg. He was taken to Sungai Kolok hospital.

Police blamed separatist militants.

A bomb also exploded in Yala’s Kabang district on Friday morning. No one was hurt.

Police said the bomb went off on a local road in front of the health station at Ban Bannang Dama in tambon Kabang about 7.05am.

The bombers had targetted a police patrol providing security for teachers, but the device detonated after the  squad had passed by.

Police also blamed separatist militants.

In Raman district of Yala, a man was killed in a drive-by shooting on a rural road at Ban Bango Borngor of tambon Wang Phaya on Thursday night.

He was identified as Areeman Mahama, a resident of Raman.

Witnesses told police that Areeman was travelling along the road when a gunman riding pillion on another motorcycle fired at him with a handgun. The assailants then fled.

He took bullets in his torso and died on the spot.

Police were investigating.

Almost 6,000 people have been killed in the southern violence since Jan 4, 2004 which marked the onset of separatist unrest, according to the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 Forward Command.

A total of 5,926 people died as a result of the sectarian violence in Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat as well as Chana, Thepha, Saba Yoi and Na Thawi districts of Songkhla from Jan 4, 2004 to Dec 31, 2013 last year,

Of the dead, 3,461 were Muslims and 2,431 were Buddhists. Some 10,593 people have been injured.

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