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| Southeast Asia |
| Thai policeman slain by sniper |
| 2012-12-20 |
| A police sergeant was killed by a sniper at a security checkpoint in Yala province on Thursday morning. It is believed to be the first attack of its kind by Pol Sgt Wachira Sangsri was shot in the neck while straddling his motorcycle near a security checkpoint in Krong Pinang district. He died on the way to hospital. He was probably killed by a sniper with a rifle fitted with a telescopic sight, according to an official from a joint civilian-police-military force. The gunman was likely concealed in one of the nearby buildings and had deliberately targeted a member of the security forces. Pol Maj Gen Peera Boonliang, commander of the Yala provincial police, said it was difficult for the security officials to return fire during such an attack because the shooter was surrounded by the community. The attack is being blamed on the group headed by Ustaso or Ismaae Rayalong, an Terrorists hunt Buddhists in Narathiwat Seven suspected Islamic Abdulwaha Dulayapinij, the office's chief administrator, said seven armed men stormed the building when he and 12 others were leaving for lunch. He said, "One of them fired a gun into the air and ordered everyone to stay put in Yawi [a dialect spoken by Muslims in the South] and then asked if there was any Buddhist Thai working here. I told him there was none and the outlaw was upset and said I had lied to him." Mr Abdulwaha then explained there was a female Buddhist Thai civil servant working at the SAO as a community development officer, but she was on leave today. Not liking the answer, two of the seven gunmen who each were carrying a five-liter gallon of gasoline set fire to the archive room and equipment storage room and then fled the scene. Staff, local citizens and a disaster relief team tried to extinguish the fire, but the flames spread quickly and destroyed the whole building. Mr Abdulwaha said it appeared the attackers wanted to kill Suchada sae Li , the only Buddhist official, and had brought gasoline to burn her body. He admitted that the incident made him and all staff fear for their own safety and they may hesitate to return to work once the office was rebuilt. |
| Posted by:ryuge |