NARATHIWAT: A ranger was killed and two others wounded when Muslim insurgents attacked their operations base in Rangae district on Monday, police said.
Militants attacked the checkpoint in front of the Ranger Company 4513 base at Ban Lapae in tambon Bo Ngo around noon, Pol Capt Cholthis Khieo-on, an investigator at Rangae, said.
The checkpoint was manned by six rangers led by L/Cpl Ekachai Kukem.
About 10 armed men approached the base in two teams, coming from different directions, and opened fire at the checkpoint.
The rangers fired back and were supported by rangers firing from inside the base.
The firefight lasted about 30 minutes, and then the militants withdrew.
L/Cpl Ekachai, the team leader, was killed. Two other rangers at the checkpoint were wounded, volunteer rangers Mongkol Anprasert and Nantawat Thongyai, and were admitted to Rangae Hospital.
Col Taweerat Benjathikul, commander of the 45th Ranger Regiment, dispatched two teams of rangers in pursuit of the attackers.
Two other teams were assigned to search houses in villages in tambon Bo Ngo in search of suspected militants.
One suspect, Suhaiming Taye, was taken from a house at Ban To Etae to the ranger base at Ban Lapae for questioning.