PATTANI, March 21 – Army Region 4 commander Lt-Gen Udomchai Thammasarorat conceded on Wednesday that an independent fact-finding panel concluded that Thai army rangers mistakenly shot dead four villagers in Pattani on Jan 29, and compensation was given to the families of the slain civilians.

An unknown number of assailants attacked a ranger base in Nong Chik district on Jan 29. The rangers fired back and pursued the group. One of the departing attackers reportedly jumped into a pick-up truck. The rangers put out a warning alert to local authorities to intercept them and when a suspicious pick-up truck appeared the pursuit went wrong.

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