NARATHIWAT, Sept 27 – An explosive ordnance disposal team was ambushed in Ruso district of this southern province Friday, while four police officers died in a crash en route to provide backup to their colleagues.
The ambush took place when the team’s 17 personnel in four vehicles were on a road in the mountains after inspecting an earlier bombing today in which no one had been injured.
During the attack, a bomb exploded on the mountainside, tumbling rocks across the roadway.
After the blast, insurgent attackers began firing on the government force from hiding places on the mountainside and spewed tripod spikes to stop the government vehicles from continuing their journey.
The attack continued for about an hour.
Reinforcements from Bacho Police station led by Pol Lt Arcom Intarasomboon responded to a call for support, but his vehicle carrying the reinforcements overturned while attempting to pass through the spikes blocking the way.
Four police officers, including Pol Lt Arcom, were killed in the engagement. Seven others were wounded and were taken to hospital.
