News

Five Buddhists, including a senior education official, were killed in a blatant gun attack by Muslim insurgents in this southern border province Thursday morning.The attack at a Buddhist village in Tambon Kokkrabua in Panare district at 6:30 am also saw five other Buddhists injured. One of the injured is a 12-year-old student.

The attack was carried out by six gunmen, who sprayed their assault rifles at about 50 residents of the village.

The attack happened after the night-shift guards of the village returned home and the day-shift guards have not taken duty yet.

Witnesses told police that about 50 Buddhist villagers were shopping for foods at the roadside market on their way to give alms at a local temple when six insurgents arrived on a white pick-up truck.

Then, two gunmen jumped off the truck and opened fire at the villagers while the gunmen on the back of the truck also opened fire at the villagers.

The villagers panicked and ran for cover. Three villagers were killed and four others injured at the scene.

The attackers then sped away in their pick-up truck and when they reached the office of the Tambon Kokkrabua administrative organization, they started firing again and killed two other people.

The slain victims were identified as Pongsak Phetchara, 53, an education supervisor of Pattani's Education Zone 1, Nipon Sermklin, 61, a retired civil servant, Pikul Sennu, 43, Noom Boonmark, 76, and Ladawal, Yodkaew, 60.... >>>