National security officials and border patrol police in Songkhla province on Sunday night were engaged in a shootout with suspected insurgents at Sakom Beach in Thepa district, leaving two insurgents dead.
One of the deceased was identified as Uzman Jeming, aged 39 years. He had several arrest warrants for allegedly taking part in a bombing in Pattani’s Khok Pho district in January 2013 that injured four soldiers, and another bombing in Songkhla’s Saba Yoi district on Feb 24 that injured 10 people.
The other person was Jearong Baheng, 40. He also had several arrest warrants including the latest for allegedly taking part in robbing a gold shop in Nathawee subdistrict in August 2019.
He allegedly got away with 2,156 baht (S$90) weight of gold worth over Bt60 million. It is considered the country’s largest gold heist.
The two were believed to be operatives of insurgency forces in Songkhla province responsible for logistics.
Officials said they had been tipped off that the group of suspects comprising the two deceased and four others would be travelling from Thepa district to Jana district on motorcycles with an unknown intention.
Officials deployed a roadblock in Jana district, which led to the suspects fleeing to a house at Sakom Beach in Koh Saba subdistrict, believed to be their hideout.
Officials are tracking down the other four suspects who were believed to be hiding in Thepa district.
