Three southern insurgents were shot dead by security forces in Krong Penang district of Thailand’s southern province of Yala this morning.
Informed security sources say that the shootings took place before dawn, as security forces were laying siege to Village 3 of Huai Krathing sub-district in their search for suspected insurgents, who were believed to be hiding in one of the houses.
Three men suddenly dashed out of one of the houses and opened fire with assault rifles, prompting the security forces to return fire.
When the exchange of fire died down for a while, security forces used a drone to survey the scene of the clash and found three men lying dead with their weapons by their sides.
The forces did not initially approach the bodies or the suspected hideout, for fear that booby traps had been planted. They waited until sunrise and the arrival of an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) unit.
