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Police, volunteers to replace soldiers in Deep South villages during Ramadan

July 11, 2013

BANGKOK, Thailand -- National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanathabut announced on Wednesday (July 10th) that as part of a truce with the rebel Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), police and defence volunteers will replace soldiers in the villages of Muslim-dominated southern border provinces during Ramadan, The Nation reported.

Yet Paradorn, who heads the Thai delegation in peace talks with the BRN, stopped short of meeting the BRN's demand for Thailand to withdraw all security forces from the area. He said soldiers would be stationed in their local barracks but would remain on standby. "We will only reduce checks, laying siege, swooping and searching villages except in the case of emergency incidents.''

Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu welcomed the truce during the holy month. In a statement posted on the OIC website, he encouraged both sides to abide by the principles of the ceasefire, saying he hoped it would lead to further peaceful developments and increased confidence-building measures towards an ultimate resolution of conflicts, MCOT Online reported.

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