Intelligence points to revenge attack surge

Intelligence points to revenge attack surge

Southern insurgents look set to turn 2013 into a year of "eye for an eye" attacks, intelligence officials warned yesterday.

Insurgent groups met recently to discuss their policies and plans for the coming year, an intelligence source who spoke on condition of anonymity said.

The groups concluded that they would implement more aggressive strategies next year in their fight against security forces, the source said.

The insurgents are planning to obtain weapons through raids on village defence volunteers, the intelligence officer said.

Security agencies had already been alerted to this crucial piece of intelligence, said the officer.

Peerayos Rahimmula, a Democrat list-MP, said he had learned that new extremist groups were being formed every year and were drawing up ever-more violent strategies.

One major factor contributing to the rise in militant numbers was the high level of unemployment in the deep South, he said.

The Interior, Labour, and Social Development and Human Security Ministries should work with local administrations to empower unemployed people by providing them with occupational training, Mr Peerayos said.

If the government fails to prevent unemployed people from joining the insurgent movement, the southern unrest will only worsen, Mr Peerayos added.

"I have proposed that the government do this several times, but it has fallen on deaf ears," he said.

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