Troops continue hunting RKK militants in Pattani and Yala

BANGKOK: -- Government troops and police continued to hunt down RKK militants Thursday morning after two separate gun and bomb attacks in Yala and Pattani yesterday and late last night that four soldiers were killed and eight rangers and a civilian were injured.

The latest attack came late last night in Nong Chik district of Pattani province when a truckload of soldiers was RKK returning to their base after a night patrolalong the Phetkasem Highway or Highway 42.

As the truck arrived at Ban Khokchan in Tambon Tuyong of Nong Chik district, the militants hiding behind roadside bushes detonated a powerful homemade bomb.

The explosion set the truck on fire and wounded eight soldiers on board. A private car from Bangkok passing at the time of the explosion was also damaged and caught fire.

The driver who was not yet identified was also wounded.

All the wounded soldiers and civilian were later admitted to Pattani hospital for treatment.

The highway was sealed off this morning for EOD to clear the area for fear of more bombs might be hidden to kill authorities.

Earlier in the day, Muslim militants disguising themselves as workers on an ice delivery truck fired a hundred rounds of M19 ammunitions at a private car where four soldiers in plainclothes were travelling in in Raman district of Yala province, seriously injured all of them.

They jumped down, sprayed them with M 16 rifles in coldblooded manner and escaped with three M16 assault rifles and a pistol.

Government troops are combing the areas this morning to hunt down the militants who are believed to mingle with local people.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/troops-continue-hunting-rkk-militants-in-pattani-and-yala


-- Thai PBS 2015-06-04

"Government troops are combing the areas this morning to hunt down the militants who are believed to mingle with local people."

Not much different military strategy than the USA used trying to intercept Viet Cong in South Vietnam during the Vietnam war and with equal failure.