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| Southeast Asia |
| Retired policeman shot, burned in southern Thailand |
| 2014-03-18 |
| A former special branch officer was gunned down yesterday and his body set on fire at a gas station he owned in Yala province. Pol Sr Sgt Maj Ekapong Sakdayuth was attacked about in the early morning, according to witnesses. Two men arrived on a motorcycle and asked for fuel before shooting him in the head and chest. The killers then poured gasoline over Ekapong and set him on fire. Before fleeing, the men walked into the victim's office and took a notebook computer, cash and a bag containing documents. Police believe Ekapong’s death is linked to the insurgency. The attackers are thought to be members of a network led by Ubaidila Rommueli, a militant leader in Yaha district. Meanwhile a new military unit, the “Budo Task Force”, has been created with a special mission to seek out and destroy militant hideouts in the Budo Mountains in the far South. The move, which follows several raids on regional insurgent camps, is meant to prevent remote mountain areas from being used as training grounds by the separatist movement. Separatist groups have been using the mountain range as a major base to train militants for insurgency operations in both rural and urban areas, according to officials. In August of last year security forces raided an insurgent camp in the mountains in Narathiwat province, and seized a quantity of ammunition and military-style camping equipment. The camp was the 11th discovered by the authorities since operations began in the mountains in March, 2012. |
| Posted by:ryuge |