Over 2 dozen assault rifles missing from military base in Narathiwat

A military base in the deep south province of Narathiwat, discovered 28 AK-102 automatic rifles were missing.

The rifles were first noticed missing on May 18 from the 2nd Narathiwat Territorial Defence Company, located in tambon Kamphu. The next day Mayusor Kudae, the assistant chief, filed a complaint with local police against those whom he believed were responsible for the missing rifles. The Narathiwat chief reported the missing rifles yesterday, May 24.

Army commander Lt Gen Kriangkrai Sirak admitted the rifles were missing and said that an investigation is ongoing into the missing weapons.

“During a clash in Bacho district of Narathiwat on May 11 in which a suspected insurgent was killed, officers seized one AK-102 rifle. “An initial investigation found that it had not been used in any attacks, but the weapon was found to belong to a defence volunteer in Narathiwat.”

Narathiwat has been the site of some recent gun violence incidents. The missing weapons follows last week’s news when 2 insurgents were killed in a standoff with a Thai paramilitary force. Then 2 weeks prior, a suspected insurgent was shot and killed with rangers. Last month rangers killed one suspected insurgent and arrest 2 others, while 2 more suspected insurgents escaped.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post