The Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) Region 4 has agreed to launch a full inquiry into the death of a man killed during a gunfight between insurgents and security forces in mid-October.
Abdulahsi Salaeh was among three people shot dead on Oct 15 in Pattani in a gunfight that erupted when a combined force of soldiers and police were searching a site behind a pondok school in Moo 2 village of Thung Yang Daeng district.
His family has petitioned the Advisory Council for the Development and Administration of the Southern Border Provinces over his death.
Maj Gen Prakarn Chonlayuth, deputy chief of Isoc Region 4, said a panel will look into the case.
Citing an initial finding, he said Abdulahsi was in custody during a search operation by authorities at three houses in the community.
When the authorities took him to the third house, he broke free and ran into the property. He was shot by the protection unit, a separate unit from the custody team.
Maj Gen Prakarn said security authorities made no attempt to cover up Abdulahsi's death.
However, he said a committee will be set up to clear any questions that Abdulahsi's family might still have.
He said the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre has started a rehabilitation process for the victim's family.
Meanwhile, the cabinet yesterday agreed to extend the emergency decree imposed in most areas of three southern-most border provinces for another 90 days, Deputy Defence Minister Gen Yuthasak Sasiprapa said.
He said the term of the emergency decree in the far South will be extended from Dec 20 to March 19, 2014.
However, he said the cabinet did not consider the proposed enforcement of the Internal Security Act in Yala's Kabang district.
Gen Yuthasak said the proposal would be considered by the next government.
Elsewhere, two volunteer rangers suffered minor injuries yesterday in an explosion at a school in Pattani's Mae Kaen district.
The explosion took place about 2pm at Ban Krajood School when two men on a motorcycle hurled a hand grenade over the wall.
The grenade landed inside the school, exploded and wounded Kraisorn Sommat and Kamphon Pimol, who were part of a four-member teacher protection unit.
The were taken to Mae Kaen Hospital with shrapnel wounds.