'Soldiers go home' signs put up in Yala

'Soldiers go home' signs put up in Yala

The discovery of more "Soldiers go home" banners in Yala on Friday has increased concerns about the fragile ceasefire in the troubled southern border provinces.

The messages found painted on banners and on roads at 24 locations throughout Yala were similar to those found at 38 sites in Narathiwat on July 21.

Police said they suspected separatist militants were trying to incite violence during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The government and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) have agreed to a Ramadan ceasefire that is scheduled to last until Aug 18, ten days after the fasting month ends.

While violence has abated somewhat since the ceasefire began, isolated incidents continue to take place, with three people hurt in two separate incidents since Thursday night.

In Yala, a rubber farmer was seriously injured in a drive-by shooting on Friday.

Wae-alee Waesama-air, a Pattani resident, told police that a group of gunmen fired at him as he was riding his motorcycle to a market to sell rubber sheets.

He was taken to Kapho hospital following the attack.

In Si Sakhon district of Narathiwat, two villagers were critically injured in a shooting on Thursday night.

They were identified as Sakareeya Saha, 25, and Sulaiman Lahama, 19, residents of Ban Bango Buerangae in tambon Cherngkhiri.

Pol Col Payong Sanukul, chief of Si Sakhon police station, said the shooting occurred about 11.30pm at Sakareeya's house.

Sakareeya and his neighbour Sulaiman were standing in front of the house when a gunman fired one shot at Sakareeya and then two shots at Sulaiman, who was running away.

Both victims fell to the ground. The gunman was about to shoot them again when neighbours who had heard the gunshots showed up, forcing him to flee.

Sakareeya was hit in the chest and Sulaiman took two bullets in his body and right arm. They were taken to Narathiwat Ratchanakarin hospital.

Meanwhile, police were trying to find out who was responsible for the anti-military messages, written in Thai, found at 24 locations in seven districts of Yala on Friday morning.

Police said the first white cloth banner, about three metres by one metre, was found hanging at a roadside pavilion on the Lam Mai-Tha Sab road at Ban Kuan in Muang district.

The banner said: "Soldiers go back. This is not your hometown. People here don't want you. It's not worth dying here. Don't let your wife and children receive your dead body."

Five similar banners and messages written on roads were found in Muang Yala municipality, two in Krong Penang, four in Than To, four in Raman, two in Yaha, five in Bannang Sata and one in Kabang district.

'Soldiers go home' signs were found in 24 locations in Yala on Friday. (Photos by Waedao Harai)

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