PATTANI -- Two unidentified armed men opened fire at two Buddhist women in a drive-by gun attack, killing one, who was 8-months pregnant, and wounding the other in Panare district on Saturday night, according to media reports.
Police said the incident occurred at about 7.20pm near a PTT petrol station on Highway 42 (Pattani-Narathiwat) in tambon Khuan.
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While Rattakal Jawang, 26, the pregnant woman, and Saijai Thongdee, 30, were returning home on a motorcycle from buying food, two armed men followed them on another motorcycle and opened fire at them.
Ms Rattakal was hit in the head and body and Ms Saijai in the body.
Ms Rattakal died from her injuries at Panare Hospital. Doctors then removed her 8-month-old foetus, but found the baby would not breathe. Ms Saijai was admitted to Pattani Hospital.
Police believe the attack was the work of insurgents.
On Sunday morning, Col Yuthanam Phetmuang, deputy spokesman of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, said that following the incident, Lt Gen Piyawat Nakwanich, the 4th Army commander, had extended his condolences to the families of the two women and ordered officials to take remedial action.
Lt Gen Piyawat also instructed all concerned authorities to conduct a forensic examination of the scene of the attack and examine the footage of surveillance cameras to look for the culprits.
"We strongly condemn this inhumane act against innocent people and would like all organisations concerned to do the same," Col Yuthanam said.