Authorities learn identities of 21 suspects involved in fatal Pattani attack

By The Nation

 

Somnuek Promkhiew

 

The authorities have issued arrest warrants for 21 suspected insurgents involved in the fatal attack against a security checkpoint in Pattani last month and have arrested five of them, they announced on Monday.

 

The announcement was made at a press conference held at 9am at the Inkhayut Army camp in Pattani’s Nong Chik district. The press conference was co-chaired by Pattani deputy governor Somnuek Promkhiew, Pattani Taskforce commander Maj Gen Piyapong Wongchan, Pattani police chief Pol Maj Gen Piyawat Chalermsri, and Col Pramote Prom-in, spokesman of the Internal Security Operations Command for Area 4.

 

Four officials were killed and two others injured in the attack on July 23. Four suspects were initially arrested and their accounts led to 14 more suspects being identified, of whom one was later arrested.

 

Pattani police chief Piyawat said the authorities conducted more investigations and learned that about 35 to 40 suspects were involved in the training, planning and attack. He said the authorities have learned the identities of 21 of the suspects and obtained arrest warrants from court against 14 of them. Seven others are being sought under warrants issued under the emergency decree. Of the 21 suspects, five have been arrested, Piyawat said.

 

Pattani Taskforce chief Piyapong said the authorities learned that 15 suspects were dispatched to carry out the attack. Five of them stood guard while 10 attacked the checkpoint, he added.

 

He said the authorities gathered 110 spent shells of ammunitions fired from 16 guns.

 

Piyapong said the operation had a mastermind, 15 members of the operation team, about four to six members who were in charge of delaying the pursuing authorities, some 10 to 20 supporters and 7 trainers.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30374968

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-08-19

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i think if the soldiers had strykers then the story would be different.. four to six insurgents against the stryker would have not slowed them down in the pursuit, and maybe if the stryker or another had been at  the base as well, the insurgents would have been eliminated, it is well accepted that in afghan and iraq that they would not confront a stryker.