Bomb Kills 7 Soldiers In South

[Mid]

Bomb kills 7 soldiers in South

(BangkokPost.com) - Seven soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb on Friday in one of the deadliest attacks against security forces this year in the deep South.

The soldiers were on patrol in Bannang Sata district of Yala when insurgents detonated a bomb near their vehicle at around 8am, police said.

They were tasked with escorting teachers there.

[Mid]

Seven soldiers killed in Yala ambush

June 15, 2007 : Last updated 11:53 am (Thai local time)

YALA - At least seven soldiers were killed Friday in this southern border province when they were ambushed by a bomb blast and shooting attack, police said.

Ten soldiers were patrolling the road in Ban Buesue Village in Tambon Bannang Sata of Bannang Sata district when an unknown number of insurgents detonated a bomb.

The insurgents, who were hiding in the roadside bushes, came out to open fire against the soldiers.

Seven soldiers were found dead following the clash.

Police said another soldier was severely injured.

The Nation

Edited June 15, 2007 by Mid

[Mid]

Seven troops die in Thai bombing

Last Updated: Friday, 15 June 2007, 04:19 GMT 05:19 UK

Violence in the three southernmost, Muslim-majority provinces has killed more than 2,200 people since 2004.

Muslim insurgents have been increasingly targeting both soldiers and Buddhist civilians with bombings and gun attacks.

Police said the troops were heading to a school in Bannang Sata district to provide security for teachers.

[Mid]

Explosion and gunfight kill seven soliders in Yala

Fri, June 15, 2007 : Last updated 14:33 pm (Thai local time)

Yala - A powerful roadside bombing followed by a brief gunfight killed seven and injured one soldier assigned to the deep South as part of security details for teachers in Banang Sta district.

Authority said the insurgents shot at close range at the head of the seven injured soldiers following the bomb attack.

The eighth soldier, who suffered injuries form the explosive, managed to fled the scene.

Insurgents also took all seven M16 belonging to the dead soldiers as they retreat to the wooded area.

Roads leading to the scene were blocked off with spikes laid out by insurgents to stall reinforcement or hot pursuit. A Blackhawk helicopter had to be dispatch to airlift the seven victims.

The Friday ambush was similar to the slaying of 12 soldiers on May 31, which was the single deadliest attack on security officials.

Friday's attack followed a night of deadly unrest around the region, with three local Muslim leaders killed and the fourth injured in a shooting attack on their car in Pattani's Mai Kaen district.

The week also saw dozens of public schools coming under arson attacks and three Muslim religious leaders killed in separate attacks. Local villagers organised mass protest and blamed the deaths on the army and demanded authorities bring the culprits to justice.

The Nation

[Jai Dee]

Insurgent attack results in 7 military deaths

Insurgents attacked military personnel with guns and explosives in Yala province.

Yesterday at 9:00 AM (June 15), police from the Bannang Sata (บันนังสตา) precinct received reports of an explosion in Bannang Sata (บันนังสตา) district of Yala province. The Bannang Sata precinct Superintendent, Pol Col Anurut Im-ab (อนุรุธ อิ่มอาบ) immediately rushed to the scene with a response unit. Officers were hindered by tree trunks and tire tacks laid across roadways leading to the crime scene.

Investigation revealed that 7 soldiers were killed and 1 injured at the explosion site. Military helicopters have been used to transport the bodies of the deceased soldiers to the Yala Central Hospital, where an autopsy will be performed. The sole surviving soldier has also been transported for emergency treatment.

Authorities believe that prior to the incident, soldiers were conducting security patrols to protect teachers and students in local schools. Upon arriving at the bomb site, soldiers were ambushed by insurgents using explosives and firearms. Officials suspect that insurgents also shot wounded soldiers in the head before fleeing the scene.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 16 June 2007

[Jai Dee]

Patrol bombed, shot in head

An eight-man teacher-protection patrol was wiped out when militants overturned their pick-up truck with a roadside bomb in violent Bannang Sata district Friday.

Elsewhere, Ban Tungka school was torched on Thursday in Muang district, destroying seven classrooms along with computers and books. Police said arsonists broke into the classrooms and set fire to books and chairs.

An intelligence source has also warned that insurgents plan to paralyse Yala province by disrupting transport routes in Betong, Than To, Bannang Sata and Yaha districts. They may ambush security forces at the same time, throw spikes on roads, and fell trees to block inter-district roads, the source said.

The attack on the paramilitary patrol took place around 8.40am when the light truck carrying eight soldiers was flipped over by a roadside bomb in Ban Buesu.

Roadside blasts targeting military vehicles followed up by ambushes by armed militants are becoming a common tactic of southern militants. Earlier this month, 12 rangers were killed in a similar attack.

The soldiers killed in yesterday's ambush were on their usual patrol when the explosion occurred. The blast flipped the truck, throwing the soldiers onto the road. Suspected militants then emerged from the roadside and fatally shot seven of the soldiers in the head from close range, leaving one badly wounded.

The attackers then retreated, taking with them the soldiers' weapons.

The dead were identified as Sgt-Maj 1st Class Janya Intrawisai, Sgt Rangsan Rakchart, Cpl Kittisak Chaosiwa, Pvt Dulayapol Mingsang, Pvt Pairoj Boonkong, Pvt Banchong Chumthong, and Pvt Yodmanu Ammanee.

Sub-Lt Pattapol Prapan, 24, who was seriously injured, was rushed for emergency treatment at Yala Central hospital.

Bodies of the soldiers had to be air-lifted out of the area because the road was strewn with spikes.

In other violence, a tambon administration organisation (TAO) chairman and two kamnans were killed in an attack on their vehicles on Thursday in Mai Kaen district of Pattani. A third kamnan of tambon Taloh Sai Thong, Maeree Suding who travelled with the group, was wounded.

Dead were Waesamae Basor, TAO chief of tambon Don Sai, Suemae Todeng, kamnan of tambon Don Sai, and Hama Sarae, kamnan of tambon Sai Thong.

The four Muslim men were returning home from a party in central Pattani when they were ambushed by armed men who sprayed their vehicles with bullets.

A source said Waesamae had been released on bail on security violation charges. A large quantity of medical supplies were found in his house, making him a suspect of aiding insurgents.

In Narathiwat, a 200-strong combined force of civilians, police and soldiers searched Batu Buesa village in Rangae district yesterday following the death of a suspected insurgent.

Satorpa Siroma, 35, believed to be a member of the Runda Kumpulan Kecil (RKK), was killed while trying to set off a home-made bomb targeting security personnel on Thursday.

The explosion also wounded two other suspects, Matoreh Masae, 27, and Sugiblee Sahibatu, 23, who were later caught and detained. Police seized a .38-calibre pistol, six bullets, three radio transceivers and a motorcycle.

Source: AFP - 16 June 2007

[Mid]

Bomb, gunfight kill seven on teachers' security detail Sat, June 16, 2007 : Last updated 11:24 am (Thai local time)

Seven soldiers were killed and another injured following a powerful roadside bomb and a brief gunfight in Bannang Sata district yesterday.

The troops had been assigned to the area as a part of security details for teachers.

Authorities said the soldiers had most probably been killed in the gunfight with insurgents following the bomb attack.

The eighth soldier, who was injured in the explosion, managed to escape.

Insurgents also took all seven M16s belonging to the dead soldiers as they retreated into a wooded area.

Roads leading to the scene were blocked off with spikes laid out by insurgents to stall reinforcements or any immediate pursuit. A Black Hawk helicopter had to be dispatched to airlift the seven victims.

The ambush was similar to the slaying of 12 soldiers on May 31, which was the single deadliest attack on security officials in the South.

Army spokesman Colonel Akra Thiproch said the pattern of attacks suggested they were the work of the same cell that was behind the May 31 incident. The roadside bombs were followed by a brief but deadly gunfight, he said.

In Narathiwat's Rusoh district, authorities discovered a man whose arms and legs had been chopped off and burnt in a remote cabin.

Police identified him as Boun, who was in his 60s. His last name is not known.

Yesterday's attacks followed a night of deadly violence, with three local Muslim leaders killed and a fourth injured in a shooting attack on their car on the outskirts of Pattani. The three were from Mai Kaen district, where one of them is a member of the local Tambon Administrative Organ-isation and two were kamnans.

The same evening also saw a grenade attack on a teashop in Ban Manangsareng in Yala's Muang district, resulting in the injuries of six customers, one of them seriously.

Eyewitnesses said they had seen a man in a pickup truck toss the grenade into the shop, frequented by local Muslims.

The week also saw dozens of public schools subjected to arson attacks and three Muslim religious leaders killed in separate attacks.

Local villagers organised mass protests and blamed the deaths on the Army and demanded authorities bring the culprits to justice.

The Nation

YALA

In Narathiwat's Rusoh district, authorities discovered a man whose arms and legs had been chopped off and burnt in a remote cabin.

Police identified him as Boun, who was in his 60s. His last name is not known.

Sweet Jesus ,

are we in Thailand or Africa ??

[Mid]

Military personnel stand guard next to the bodies of soldiers who died after their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in Thailand's Yala province June 15, 2007. Suspected Muslim separatist rebels killed seven soldiers on Friday in a bomb and gun attack in Thailand's rebellious Muslim south, an army spokesman said.

REUTERS/SURAPAN BOONTHANOM

[Jai Dee]

Authorities believe prominent local insurgent responsible for murdering 7 Army soldiers

Authorities believe that local insurgent Ma-aer Apibanbae (มะแอ อภิบาลแบ) is responsible for the recent attack and murder of a military patrol unit.

Investigative officers from the Yala provincial precinct report that police have obtained intelligence reports of responsible parties involved in a June 15th attack on a patrol from the 2514th company, which left 7 soldiers dead. Following the attack, insurgents stole five M-16 assault rifles, two M-203 grenade launchers, and a quantity of ammunition from the patrol.

Authorities indicate that Mr. Ma-aer Apibanbae (มะแอ อภิบาลแบ), the leader of a local Runda Kumpulan Kecil (RKK) insurgent unit, Mr. Zakaria Hayeesamoh(ซาการียา หะยีสาเมาะ), a former imam, and local youths may be responsible for the attack.

More than 20 well organized insurgents are believed to have played a role in the incident. Mr. Ma-aer is reported to be an influential figure in Yala, and is also believed to have been involved in a May 31st attack which left 12 Army Rangers dead.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 18 June 2007