10 SHOT DEAD INSIDE MOSQUE IN SOUTHERN THAILAND

By D. Arul Rajoo

BANGKOK, June 9 (Bernama) -- Ten Muslims who were praying were shot dead by
unknown gunmen in a stunning attack at a mosque in the restive southern province
of Narathiwat Monday night.

A police spokesman said the incident happened around 8pm when a group of men
suddenly opened fire at the Al Qulkon Mosque in Kampung Air Paya, Cho-Airong
district.

He said initial information received from the area showed that 10 people,
including the Imam of the mosque, were killed and 12 others injured.

"We are still gathering more information about the shooting. Initially four
were reported dead and then eight. Now we were told 10 had died and all bodies
were placed inside the mosque," he said when contacted.

On Sunday, two people were killed and 19 injured when insurgents attacked
volunteer guards and detonated a car bomb in Jeringa district, Narathiwat, four
days after two teachers, one of them in her eighth month of pregnancy, were shot
dead in Chanae.

More than 3,500 people have died since January 2004 when separatist groups
resumed their armed campaign to seek independence for the three Muslim-majority
provinces of Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani.

Bangkok has dispatched more than 20,000 soldiers to end the turmoil, but
faces difficulty as the separatist groups involved are using guerilla tactics,
especially road-side bombings, arson and drive-by shootings in the restive
Southern provinces Sunday.
-- BERNAMA