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Published on August 18, 2007

More than 300 troops yesterday raided two villages in Sungai Padi district of Narathiwat arresting 18, four of whom are suspected of being insurgent cell leaders.

A three-hour search of more than 200 homes in Ban Talobuke and Ban Lalaeluvah caused panic among villagers. Many fled.

Officials refused to reveal the identity of those detained but said four of them were cell leaders. They added the four had denied the allegations.

Soldiers confiscated seven shotguns, two walkie-talkie radios and 20 mobile phones.

The arrests were part of the continuing Operation South Protection, which over the past months has detained several hundred suspected militants in a bid to destroy cells.

Many have been released after officials were unable to prove their involvement.

Others have been brought to trial and still others sent to job training outside the region.

As of Tuesday, there were 206 suspects in detention in connection with the violence in the South, according to the Internal Security Operations Command forward command. Officials have the authority under emergency law to detain people up to 30 days without charge in accordance with the emergency law.

Authorities said the operation was on track to contain violence in the predominantly Muslim region.

However, violence continues.

A father and son were injured in a gun attack in Than To district of Yala yesterday.

Waelae Waemong, 57, and his 19-year-old son Waeusman were involved in a roadside attack by an unknown number of gunmen while they were on their way to work in a rubber plantation.

The Nation

NARATHIWAT