Suspected Islamic terrorists militants gunned down two rangers in southern Thailand on Thursday as the country revealed plans to withdraw a state of emergency in part of the region.
Four assailants disguised as Muslim women
| or black ghosts or giant living trash bags |
shot the paramilitary rangers dead as they were driving home from night duty in Narathiwat province. Two local women were injured by stray bullets in the incident and police said the attackers stole the rangers' guns.
This came as Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced plans to end emergency rule in three provinces after almost seven years of unrest.
| I don't know the reason he wants to lift emergency rule, but I haven't noticed a slowdown in the number of attacks in the south. |
'We are preparing to lift the state of emergency,' said Mr Abhisit, adding that in one district of Pattani province they were likely to be lifted 'before New Year' as a test case. |