NARATHIWAT, July 18 – One Thai Army Ranger and two villagers were killed in an insurgent attack on a military outpost in Narathiwat Tuesday night.
Five others were wounded including a sergeant, two Rangers and two other local residents.
At least 20 armed men on two pickup trucks and two motorcycles with M-16 assault rifles, M-79 grenade launchers, and 11 mm guns, carried out an attack at an army outpost in Ruso district.
The two sides exchanged gunfire while about 10 defence volunteers and villagers helped the soldiers fighting.
After the five-minute clash, the gunmen left in their pickup trucks. Many gunmen were injured as blood stains were found.
Col Pramote Prom-in, deputy spokesman of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), Region 4 said that a special infantry unit deployed personnel to reinforce Army Rangers tracking the attackers.
According to the latest report, two suspects have been detained for questioning.
It is initially believed that the assault was by the same group which attacked a military outpost in Narathiwat’s Rangae district in January last year, killing three soldiers and one Army Ranger.
