NARATHIWAT, Thailand – Two suspects connected to the recent fatal shooting of two police officers in Tak Bai were killed during a pre-dawn shootout with security forces in Narathiwat province, while authorities apprehended a third individual accused of aiding their escape.

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The joint operation commenced at approximately 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday after investigators tracked the fugitives to a remote hut in Ban Nam Tok village, located in the Sukhirin district. The two men, identified as 23-year-old Abdulmuklis and 34-year-old Sahman, reportedly initiated the gunfire upon the arrival of the tactical team, sparking an intense exchange. No security personnel were injured during the confrontation, and Provincial Police Region 9 Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Piyawat Chalermsri confirmed that officers operated strictly in accordance with standard tactical procedures and gathered intelligence.

Both men had extensive criminal histories and were actively evading law enforcement following the weekend ambush. Abdulmuklis was previously wanted for theft and drug trafficking, and forensic analysis had already linked his DNA to components of a firearm recovered from the hideout. Sahman was the subject of two outstanding arrest warrants for murder and theft. Following the shootout, authorities successfully recovered two firearms that had been stolen from the officers during Sunday’s attack, including a service Glock pistol belonging to Pol Cpl Traitos Kunsanthawasiri, who was wounded in the initial incident.

The tactical raid was the culmination of a multi-day manhunt across the deep south. After carrying out the Sunday assault in Tak Bai, the suspects fled and sought medical treatment in the Cho Airong district before moving through various safe houses in the Ra-ngae district. Their movements were eventually traced to the Sukhirin hideout. In a related development later Wednesday afternoon, police arrested another individual suspected of facilitating the gunmen’s evasion of law enforcement.

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The successful operation marks a significant breakthrough in the broader investigation into the Tak Bai ambush. To date, authorities have identified 14 individuals connected to the coordinated attack on the police. With the two primary gunmen neutralized, the remaining 12 suspects—including the accomplice arrested Wednesday—have been taken into custody and are currently undergoing intensive questioning as the investigation continues.

-Thailand News (TN)