Wanted Man Surrenders at Islamic School in Pattani
A fugitive linked to an armed insurgent group surrendered peacefully at an Islamic boarding school in Pattani's Nong Chik district after ten days in hiding, with authorities recovering a firearm from the premises.
Special operations units in Pattani tracked down a fugitive who had been hiding at an Islamic boarding school in Nong Chik. Officers coordinated with school administrators, village leaders, and community representatives before moving in, prioritizing the safety of students and residents. The suspect was identified as Muhammad Hafik, who was wanted on arrest warrant no. 42/2569 issued on August 21, 2025. Using peaceful negotiation methods that respected human dignity and rights, village leaders, community officials, school administrators, and religious leaders engaged in dialogue with the suspect. Muhammad Hafik voluntarily came forward and surrendered without confrontation or violence. He disclosed the location of a firearm and ammunition stored on the school grounds, which officers recovered as evidence before taking him into custody. Officers believe three to four additional individuals may have assisted in harboring the suspect and could be planning further disturbances, and the investigation continues to apprehend them. Captain Sathirpong Archan stated that during questioning, Muhammad Hafik admitted to hiding at the school for over ten days, living among local residents before realizing at dawn that officers were moving in to surround the area. Fearing for his life and seeing no escape, he decided to surrender. Background intelligence revealed he had traveled abroad approximately two years ago for tactical and combat training and historical research. He subsequently joined an armed group called Perveera, or the Heroic Freedom Fighters, which has been linked to multiple insurgency incidents, particularly in the Mai Kaen area of Pattani province.
