PUBLISHED: 7 Mar 2025 at 04: 00
Security has been tightened in Yala state, following a pipe bomb attack on a police box next to a railroad passing in Muang city which left six Islam injured on Wednesday night.
It was ordered by the municipal police chief while officers yesterday continued hunting for at least two suspects dressed in black who were caught on a surveillance camera throwing two tube bombs at the police package, a regular attack target, police said yesterday.
Pol Maj Gen Nathakon Kanchanaphon, commander of Yala police, said facts had been collected from the landscape, while footage from security cameras were being used to monitor the intruders, who were still at large next day.
Situated in the centre of Muang area, the officers box is close to both a train station and a night sector that are often crowded early in the morning and less so after in the day.
One of the weapons was a failure, while the other went off injuring three people and three people who were Muslim people passing by at a time many Islam go out shopping for food after breaking their regular Ramadan fast.
The attack has raised fears the Islamic holy month in this southern border province could be marred by more violence. Ramadan began at the weekend.
” Since there were frequent attacks in this location in the past, this incident is especially worrisome”, said one woman vendor who arrived at the market yesterday morning.
” I looked all around my stall in case there was another bomb which had been left there”, she said.
One intelligence report said a group of separatists is plotting violence, including bomb and shooting attacks against state officials in Yala. Few other details were available.
And since this Ramadan coincides with the anniversary of the founding of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional Melayu-Patani ( BRN ) rebel group on March 13, security agencies in Yala are being told to brace for more violence, the report said.