Central Highlands attackers ‘organized, barbaric’: security ministry

Spokesman To An Xo said Wednesday that the attackers raided the Ea Tieu and Ea Ktur commune people’s committee offices in the dead of night on June 11.

They took the life of Secretary of the Ea Ktur Commune’s Party Committee and the Ea Tieu Commune Chairman. They also killed four police officers and injured two more.

They used petrol bombs in an attempt to burn down the offices. The group also stopped vehicles and shot local residents who were passing by, killing three civilians and injured several others.

“These acts were as barbaric as what they did to the local officials,” Xo said.

According to Xo, suspects said that they were “ordered to kill officers and local police on sight, taking their assets and weapons.”

“Upon learning of the attacks, the Ea Ktur Commune Secretary and Ea Tieu Commune Chairman were courageous enough to show up on the scene in the middle of the night for the common good, and they were killed by the evil doers,” he added.

Ministry of Public Security spokesman To An Xo. Photo courtesy of the ministry

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang ordered that the officers who sacrificed their lives be honored and their families compensated. The injured will be compensated and honored as well. The six officers who died have already been made official state martyrs.

As of Wednesday evening, 46 people involved in the attacks have been arrested.

The Ministry of Public Security have ordered that all measures be taken to arrest all the remaining people involved and confiscate their weapons and bomb-making tools.

It also called on suspects who are hiding to surrender in order to receive clemency. Local residents have been encouraged to inform officers of those in hiding.

Xo said that an investigation is ongoing and measures are being taken to ensure that a similar incident will not happen again.

Police are ready to deal with any further situation that might arise. In Ea Tieu and Ea Ktur, life has returned to normal.