Narathiwat —
At 6:30 PM on September 21st, 2024, Thai national media reported that over 10 armed assailants stormed the Halabala Wildlife Sanctuary in Waeng District, Narathiwat, taking 10 forestry officers hostage and setting fire to four staff residences.
The armed assailants reportedly fled into the forest after the incident. The officers managed to free themselves and alerted local police, military, and administrative units. Fire trucks were dispatched to extinguish the blaze.
On the morning of September 22nd, local authorities discovered that the assailants had stolen 10 shotguns from the site.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Maitree Santayakul, the commander of Narathiwat Police, issued an order for all police in Narathiwat’s 13 districts to collaborate with military and local authorities to prevent similar attacks, especially at high-risk forestry bases, and ensure swift countermeasures if needed.
While EOD and related units were inspecting the crime scene, another team was securing the road to ensure safety. At 10:03 AM, a loud explosion occurred, believed to have been caused by a hidden bomb intended to target the officers inspecting the office buildings.
A second explosion followed at 11:03 AM, in the same area, further indicating that the assailants had planted multiple explosives to target the officers. Fortunately, all officers were unharmed, according to Thai national media.
As of press time no group has taken responsibility for the incident or explained their motives.
