A police officer was shot and wounded while holding his nine month old daughter outside his home in Narathiwat on October 2, in what security officials believe was an insurgent ambush.
The shooting happened at about 9.09pm in Suwari subdistrict, Rueso district, while the 37 year old officer was on leave. He was sitting on the porch eating with his wife and daughter when two gunshots were fired in quick succession.
The officer, who was holding his daughter at the time, heard what sounded like a bullet striking metal before feeling a burning sensation around the left side of his chin. He then noticed blood on his neck and right shoulder and realised he had been shot.
He told his wife to take their daughter inside and hide while he followed them into the house.
A local village official later helped take him to a hospital. He suffered a bullet graze to the left side of his chin and two wounds to his neck and right shoulder that appeared to have been caused by bullet fragments. His condition was later reported as safe.
The area was secured overnight before investigators examined the scene yesterday morning, October 3.
Blood was found on the porch, along with a bullet impact mark on the metal frame of a chair.
Investigators then searched a rubber plantation across a canal opposite the house, about 70 metres from the porch.
Two spent 5.56mm cartridge cases were found there, along with numerous footprints believed to have been left by the attacker or attackers. The evidence was collected for further examination.
Amarin TV reported that security officials monitoring insurgent activity in the southern border provinces believe the shooting was a targeted ambush against a security officer.
They said similar attacks have been carried out in the region using small numbers of attackers who fire from concealed positions before quickly leaving the area. Previous attacks using similar tactics have left security personnel dead or injured.
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