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Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Breaking: Police identify suspects in forestry patrol killings

Breaking: Police identify suspects in forestry patrol killings

| Publication date 31 January 2018 | 19:55 ICT

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Thol Khna, a Wildlife Conservation Society employee who was killed yesterday while patrolling in Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary, is remembered at his home in Paen Meas Village in Takeo province. Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon

Breaking: Police identify suspects in forestry patrol killings

Authorities are searching for two officials suspected to have ambushed and killed three men on a forestry patrol yesterday in Mondulkiri province.

Bou Bun Chheat, the O’Raing district police chief, said officers are searching for Phal Penh, a police officer in charge of the O’Rolear border post, and Keut Veha, the head of the armed forces’ Regiment 103. Bun Chheat said seven bullet casings from a rifle were found at the scene of the shooting.

Military Police officer Sok Vathana, Environment Ministry ranger Theun Soknay and Wildlife Conservation Society staffer Thol Khna were killed in the late afternoon yesterday while on patrol.

“While they were patrolling they were attacked, so they could not fight back because their group has only one gun, which was the military police officer’s,” Bun Chheat said, adding that it was the armed officer, Vathana, who was shot first.

Mom Vanda, a spokesman for the Mondulki Provincial Court prosecutor, declined to identify the suspects, but said authorities "have more clues and evidence”.

Full story here.

Updates to follow.

Contact author: Mech Dara

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