THAILAND: Police exchange gunfire with group of suspected militants, killing three

Record ID: 374907

  • Title: THAILAND: Police exchange gunfire with group of suspected militants, killing three
  • Date: 3rd June 2011
  • Summary: NARATHIWAT, THAILAND (JUNE 2, 2011) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF LARGE GROUP OF MILITARY OFFICERS ON HILL IN THAI JUNGLE VARIOUS OF POLICE SEARCHING THROUGH EVIDENCE BODY OF MAN FACE DOWN ON GROUND OFFICERS SEARCHING EVIDENCE OFFICERS GATHERED AROUND ANOTHER BODY POLICE SEARCH THROUGH BELONGINGS OF THOSE KILLED MORE OF POLICE POLICE SEACH EVIDENCE OFFICER
  • Embargoed: 18th June 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand, Thailand
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: Police
  • Reuters ID: LVA3R2HQ2TQZNDU5I8FBOED80YVU
  • Story Text: Three suspected militants were killed in a fire fight in Thailand's restive deep south on Thursday (June 2) after they refused to surrender to government forces laying siege to their jungle hideout, police said.
    A 30-man strong police force surrounded a house in Narathiwat province suspected of holding up to 10 separatist insurgents, triggering a 20-minute exchange of fire.
    Police said they believed about seven suspects managed to escape during the clash, leaving behind two M-16 assault rifles and a pistol.
    Ethnic Malay Muslims represent the majority of the population in Narathiwat and neighbouring Yala and Pattani, a once independent sultanate annexed by predominantly Buddhist Thailand in 1909.
    More than 4,500 people have been killed and nearly 9,000 wounded in violence since 2004 in the rubber-rich area bordering Malaysia.
    Attacks have increased in recent months, with Muslim villagers, security forces, Buddhist monks and teachers among the victims of drive-by shootings and bombings.
    On Wednesday (June 1), explosive booby traps laid by suspected rebels killed two local officials and wounded four people in Yala, while two insurgents were killed in Narathiwat by their own bomb, which exploded by accident.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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