Two 'stubborn' terrorists killed in southern Thai standoff
Terrorists respond to attempted surrender negotiations with gunfire.
PATTANI: Thai government troops killed two suspected terrorists in a standoff and thwarted a suspected terror attack in the southern Thai province of Pattani early Thursday (Mar. 14).
Over 50 members of the Southern Border Province Rangers encircled a rented property following a tip-off about the presence of alleged wanted criminals in Sai Buri district at about 5am, news reports said.
Officers took position around the dwelling and cordoned off Pattani-Narathiwat Road to protect residents from danger.
Later, a group of officers, religious figures and community leaders approached to negotiate with the suspects for their surrender at 7am, however, the suspects opened fire, causing the officers to increase their security measures and secure the area further.Â
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The suspects opened fire on the officers unexpectedly after more attempted negotiations, making it clear they had no intention of turning themselves in.
The officers then launched an assault on the house with the aim of arresting the suspects at about 7.30am, but then they discovered that the suspects had taken refuge in the property’s ceiling, prompting the officers to retreat and restrategise.Â
During the ensuing confrontation, one of the suspects was fatally shot and fell from the ceiling.
At 8am, the officers used a drone to locate the remaining suspect before engaging in a final firefight, which resulted in his killing.
Initial investigations identified the slain suspects as Hamdi Salo and Rachit Mayuso based on arrest warrants.
Police sources reportedly indicated that there was strong suspicion that the suspects were planning a terrorist attack during Ramadan, fortunately, vigilant locals reported their suspicious activities to the authorities, averting a potential disaster.
Police did not explain the specific crimes for which the suspects were wanted, or how locals came to identify the men, or the group the duo belonged to.
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For decades, the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), the main insurgent group in the Thai Deep South, has been fighting for independence in Thailand’s predominantly Muslim and ethnically Malay southern border provinces.
The Deep South encompasses Pattani, Narathiwat, Yala provinces and four districts of Songkhla province. Since the insurgency reignited in January 2004, more than 7,000 people have been killed and more than 13,600 were injured in violence in the region, according to local think tank Deep South Watch.
The Thai government has held direct negotiations with BRN rebels, beginning in 2020. Before that, government negotiators had met with MARA Patani, an umbrella panel representing Deep South rebel organisations and factions including the BRN, according to news service BenarNews.
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