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| Southeast Asia |
| Arson and gunfire across southern Thailand overnight |
| 2018-02-25 |
| [The Nation] Thai security agencies believe Muslim rebels staged two arson attacks in downtown Narathiwat late on Friday night to "create a situation" before a visit by representatives of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. The simultaneous fires damaged a low-price goods shop and a department store in Muang district around midnight. Militants also planted a third firebomb that was a dud. A military source said the insurgents wanted to escalate the situation before ten OIC representatives visit the southern border provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat late this month. The source said security agencies believe the attackers came from Bacho and Yingor districts in Narathiwat and are under the command of Abdulloh Ulae, who is wanted under several arrest warrants. The first fire engulfed a rough-hewn shop selling such supplies as kitchen utensils, mosquito nets, mattresses and pillows, before spreading to an aquarium shop next to it, causing damage worth Bt1 million and Bt500,000 respectively. The fire also burned down a department store in Tambon Bang Nak, causing about Bt10 million in damage. The store was previously attacked by militants in 2012. The department store owner also has stores in Pattani and Yala, and all of them have been hit by arson attacks. However, she said she would not give up yet. In a related development, gunshots were fired at a shop and a house of policemen in Songkhla province’s Thepha district in two separate attacks on the same night. |
| Posted by:ryuge |