ID :
64797
Tue, 06/09/2009 - 09:05
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http://m.oananews.org//node/64797
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PM orders Army Chief to visit Narathiwat after mosque attack
BANGKOK, June 9 (TNA) - Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has ordered Army Chief Gen. Anupong Paochinda to visit the southern province of Narathiwat after a group of unidentified gunmen opened fire in a mosque in Cho-airong district, leaving at least 11 Muslim villagers dead and a dozen seriously injured.
The prime minister, who has just returned from Malaysia, said Gen. Anupong would go to Narathiwat Tuesday morning to be briefed about the incident and meet with agencies concerned to map out a security plan to prevent such an attack in the future.
Gen. Anupong also accompanied Mr. Abhisit during his visit to Malaysia on Monday.
Police initially said that a group of five or six heavily-armed men burst into Al Pukon Mosque in Joh AiRong district through a back entrance at about 8.30pm and opened fire on about 50 people inside the mosque who were worshipping.
Ten men died at the scene and another succumbed en route to hospital, while a dozen were seriously injured and send to the hospital.
A combined security force closed off the area and tried to search for the assailants.
After the incident, rumours spread that the authorities themselves were behind the attack, but a spokesman for the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) denied that any government agencies were involved in the shooting.
The latest violence occurred as the Thai prime minister was visiting the neighbouring country of Malaysia.
Mr. Abhisit paid an official visit to Malaysia on Monday and held talks with his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak on ways to end the continuing violence in Thailand's South and on additional bilateral cooperation.
The Thai prime minister said Malaysia is willing to provide educational cooperation to help resolve the underlying causes of the violence. He and the Malaysian leader also agreed to visit Thai Muslim schools in the troubled region but no date had been set. (TNA)
The prime minister, who has just returned from Malaysia, said Gen. Anupong would go to Narathiwat Tuesday morning to be briefed about the incident and meet with agencies concerned to map out a security plan to prevent such an attack in the future.
Gen. Anupong also accompanied Mr. Abhisit during his visit to Malaysia on Monday.
Police initially said that a group of five or six heavily-armed men burst into Al Pukon Mosque in Joh AiRong district through a back entrance at about 8.30pm and opened fire on about 50 people inside the mosque who were worshipping.
Ten men died at the scene and another succumbed en route to hospital, while a dozen were seriously injured and send to the hospital.
A combined security force closed off the area and tried to search for the assailants.
After the incident, rumours spread that the authorities themselves were behind the attack, but a spokesman for the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) denied that any government agencies were involved in the shooting.
The latest violence occurred as the Thai prime minister was visiting the neighbouring country of Malaysia.
Mr. Abhisit paid an official visit to Malaysia on Monday and held talks with his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak on ways to end the continuing violence in Thailand's South and on additional bilateral cooperation.
The Thai prime minister said Malaysia is willing to provide educational cooperation to help resolve the underlying causes of the violence. He and the Malaysian leader also agreed to visit Thai Muslim schools in the troubled region but no date had been set. (TNA)
