Yala: In a significant development, four insurgents were killed in a clash with security forces in Krong Pinang District, Yala Province. The spokesman for ISOC Region 4 confirmed that these individuals were likely preparing to orchestrate a major incident in the area.
According to Thai News Agency, the confrontation occurred at 4:00 a.m. after security officers implemented a blockade in the Ban Charakadong area, Huai Krathing Subdistrict. The operation, aimed at enforcing the law, led to a deadly encounter with the insurgents, resulting in four fatalities.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Piyawat Chalermsri, Commander of Provincial Police Region 9, along with a team of soldiers, police, and forensic officers, conducted an inspection of the scene. Utilizing drone technology, they surveyed the area where three insurgents were found dead outside the target house and one inside. The officers recovered firearms, ammunition, and a field bag, and began the process of identifying the deceased perpetrators' involvement in previous security incidents. Relatives arrived later to claim the bodies for religious ceremonies.
Col. Kiatisak Neewong, the spokesperson for the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 Forward Command, detailed the sequence of events. At around 6:00 a.m., security forces cordoned off a house suspected of sheltering insurgents. Three individuals attempted to flee, engaging officers in a gunfight, which led to their deaths. At another location, officers tried to negotiate with a suspect who instead threatened them with a pipe bomb, resulting in his death as well.
The deceased insurgents were identified as Mr. Kamaruding, 42, with six Criminal Procedure Code warrants; Mr. Abu Bakr, 44, with one Criminal Code warrant; Mr. Harong, 47, with six Criminal Procedure Code warrants; and Mr. Irfan, 24, with no warrants against him. Authorities also seized a cache of weapons, including a Remington rifle, an M16 A2 rifle, an AK 102 rifle, a pipe bomb, various ammunition, a radio, and a separatist flag.