Over 100 rounds of ammunition fired in attack on Narathiwat checkpoint

THE NINE insurgents who attacked a Narathiwat checkpoint killing five rangers and injuring six civilians last night (July 22) had fired over a hundred rounds of three different types of ammunition with the attack planned in advance to take place when three other rangers of this unit were on leave, PPTVHD36 said today.

Narathiwat Governor Boonchuey Homyamyen, Pol. Lt. Gen. Piyawat Chalermsri, commander of Provincial Police Region 9, Pol. Maj. Gen. Prayong Kotrasakha, commander of Narathiwat Provincial Police, and Col. Witthaya Sariya, commander of Task Force 45, were at the scene of the attack all night to oversee the investigation. Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel as well Narathiwat provincial police and forensic investigators carefully collected evidence.

The investigators found shell casings of three types of firearms scattered around – M16, AK-47, and an 11mm pistol – totalling over a hundred including some shells that had jammed in the barrels. There were numerous holes in the checkpoint’s bunker and the insurgents had also flung a pipe bomb at a tall observation tower near the bridge.

Clips from two surveillance cameras, one at the checkpoint and the other across the road, showed that nine insurgents mounted this attack. The first group, consisting of seven of them, drove up on a black Nissan pickup truck with six of them wearing black uniforms resembling military rangers and hats to conceal their faces sat at the truck bed.

The second group consisted of two persons, who rode up on a motorcycle. The driver wore a white shirt and helmet and was armed with an 11mm pistol. His male passenger, disguised as a woman by wearing a hajib, was armed with an AK-47 assault rifle. They had followed the pickup truck.

Surveillance camera clips also showed that when they arrived at the checkpoint there were three rangers manning it. They opened fire with M16 and AK-47 assault rifles till they fell to the ground, they then stopped the pickup truck and continued their attack killing two other rangers inside the bunker. After that they stole four AK-47 assault rifles and one 11mm pistol, totaling five firearms, along with four magazines.

Seconds later the duo on the motorcycle, who were acting as a lookout, got off and fired at various directions to provide cover for the six insurgents to search the fallen rangers, taking four bullet proof vests, four magazines and one 11mm pistol. Once they fled on the pickup truck, the other two too got on the motorcycle and followed them

Surveillance camera clips revealed that the entire operation lasted just one and half minutes.

The pickup truck used in the attack was later found completely destroy by fire at Sako subdistrict, Si Sakhon district. The licence plate is for a different pickup truck belonging to a resident in Songkhla province. Investigators will be checking the chassis number of the burnt pickup truck to determine who the owner is, Amarin TV said.

Six civilians were injured in this attack with one being a 10-year-old boy who suffered laceration on his right thigh while the other five suffered from shock, tinnitus, and headache and were discharged after getting first aid.

Meanwhile Gen. Chaiyapruk Duangprapat, army chief of staff and secretary-general of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) urgently flew to Narathiwat after the attack, Naewna newspaper said.

Upon arrival, he convened a meeting of security agencies to monitor the situation and assess response measures. He instructed all units to increase operational vigilance and intensify proactive operations to quickly apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

“I will have people hunt down those responsible in every village and every forested area,” Gen. Chaiyapruk said.

“To those who provided refuge, and to the countries that provide refuge, know that we will hunt them down to the end of the earth. Wherever they eat, sleep, or walk, beware. The time has come to be hunted.”

CAPTIONS:

Top and Front Page: Insurgents heading to the checkpoint to mount an attack. Photo – Amarin TV

First and second insert: Investigators collecting shell casings at the scene of the attack. Photos – PPTVHD36

Third insert: The gutted pickup truck. Photo – Amarin TV

Fourth insert: Gen. Chaiyapruk Duangprapa giving instructions, Photo – Naewna

Earlier report:

5 rangers dead as insurgents in disguise attack Narathiwat checkpoint

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