Thai Paramilitary Kills Four, Captures 22 in Pattani Province

Thai security forces on Wednesday killed four people they said were suspected insurgents, and captured 22 others in Thailand’s Deep South, a military official said.

Shots were exchanged as members of the 41st Paramilitary Task Force sealed off a target at Baan Toh Sud village in Tung Dang district, Pattani province, just before sunset, a military source told BenarNews.

Although the suspects continued to fire, security forces captured 22 people and seized a weapons cache, according to the official, who asked not to be named.

The 22 were being held at the task force’s base for questioning. No more details were immediately available.

Intelligence units had been tracking suspected insurgents Uzman Sama, Anwar Due-ramae and Makurosi Maeloh since March 22, the military source said, in the belief that they were preparing to carry out an attack.

The Internal Security Operation Command 4 (ISOC), which is responsible for Thailand’s southern region, had forewarned of possible attacks around the 55th birthday of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) separatist group, on March 13.