NARATHIWAT — A paramilitary ranger was killed when security officials laid siege to a house to arrest suspected southern insurgents in Chanae district of this southern border province on Monday, and the hunt continued for hours from early morning.
Officials began the operation at 5.30am at a home in Ban Ruepoh village, tambon Dusongyor, after intelligence indicated a group of suspects had gathered there. They are accused of taking part in a fatal ambush of an assistant chief of Chanae on April 1.
Suspects armed with powerful rifles suddenly ran from the house and opened fire to cover their escape. In the ensuing gunfight, paramilitary ranger Wuthipong Chumchuea, 29, was shot in the cheek and chest. The native of Trang province later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
A large team of heavily armed security personnel was mobilised and pursued the suspects into a forest behind the house. The siege continued into the evening.
A subsequent search of the forest turned up only bloodstains, leading officials to believe the suspects fled to a nearby hill.
The Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) reported that negotiators had been used during the siege to protect the public. The search was called off Monday evening after officials concluded the suspects had left the area.
