Roadside blast in Yala wounds defence volunteers

Two defence volunteers were badly wounded by a roadside bomb explosion in Muang district, Yala, yesterday while gunmen attacked a walled checkpoint manned by volunteers in Yi-ngo district of neighbouring Narathiwat overnight with no one injured.

In Yala, a bomb exploded on a road in Ban Kupae Purong village of tambon Bannang Sareng about 7.30am as six defence volunteers patrolling on motorcycles were passing. The patrol was guarding teachers and students.

Two volunteers were seriously wounded — Muhamadronee Lohama, 50, and Wansurowan Jehming, 40. Another defence volunteer and three students suffered temporary deafness.

Security forces said the improvised explosive device was fastened to the base of a roadside tree on a road leading to Pracha Uthit School. It weighed 3-5 kilogrammes and was packed with chopped steel rods as shrapnel.

The injured volunteers were travelling on the same motorcycle, which was the last one of four motorbikes used in the morning security patrol, said a source.

All six volunteers took part in the patrol which provides security for teachers and students travelling to school.

The explosion left a crater in the ground under the tree.

Authorities believe it was stuffed in a metal box, said the source.

Meanwhile, in Narathiwat, about five people opened fire with assault rifles on a defence volunteers’ base on Phetkasem Highway in tambon Ta Poyoh of Yi-ngo district about 11.30pm on Wednesday.

Attackers were divided in two groups. Two of them fired at the front of the base from a motorcycle, and others attacked at the rear.

When the first group opened fire on the base from the front, defence volunteers on duty fired back.

Because the area opposite the base was a residential community, the volunteers couldn’t retaliate as much as they wanted, which allowed the attackers to flee.

Volunteers inspecting the scene found 11 used shells of an M16 rifle, said the source.

Shortly after the first attack, the second attack erupted from the back of the base.

At least three gunmen were believed to have been waiting in an area behind the base before the first attack.

Matohe Tetaning, head of the defence volunteer team, returned fire from inside the base to deter the attackers from advancing further.

The attackers eventually stopped shooting and fled, said the source. Security authorities suspect the first group was intended to lure the volunteers to leave the base so the second team could raid the base from the rear and steal weapons left behind.