The aftermath of the attacks on the Ea Ktur Commune People's Committee HQ. — VNA/VNS
HANOI (Vietnam News/Asia News Network): The Ministry of Public Security on Friday (June 16) provided a briefing on the violent gun attacks on local administration's headquarters building in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak last Sunday (June 11) that claimed the lives of nine people and injured two others.
Major General Dang Hong Duc, Chief of Office of the public security ministry, stated that at around 0:35am on June 11, two armed groups (from different localities in Dak Lak) broke into and attacked the people's committees buildings of the two communes Ea Ktur and Ea Tieu (Cu Kuin District), using knives, guns, petrol bombs and hand grenades.
The buildings suffered serious damage with documents and papers burnt.
The two police stations housed inside the buildings were also attacked, resulting in the death of four police officers.
Police revealed the gangs killed a total of five other people as they withdrew from the two commune offices, including the two commune leaders who were murdered while on the way to the headquarters after they heard reports of the disturbance incident.
In total, four police officers, two commune officials, along with three civilians were killed in the attacks, Duc noted, adding that two police officers were hurt and their injuries are being treated, while three ethnic minority persons were held as hostages but later released.
The Ministry of Public Security has also said the group planned to infiltrate a military camp in Krong Pac District to steal weapons but didn't follow through as there were people awake at the camp's gates at the time.
On the night of the incident, the Ministry of Public Security swiftly reinforced the task forces, deployed blockade measures and sealed off incident areas, put government offices under strong protection, ensured security and safety for the people, and hunted down the suspects involved in the attacks, Duc said.
The ministry has also provided timely support and sent representatives to visit the families of the fallen and injured comrades, as well as of the officials and civilians.
To date, over 50 suspects have been detained, including all the ringleaders, with many weapons seized.
The perpetrators are mostly young people, fuelled by the hatred and divisions sowed online with regard to ethnic tensions between the Kinh people (the majority of the population in Vietnam) and minority ethnic groups, according to Duc.
According to the initial assessment, the cause of the incident was prompted by the conspiracy of hostile forces.
Some members of the in-exile Fulro organisation - an illegal, secessionist union whose self-proclaimed purpose is to bring the Central Highlands region under the governance of France or the United States instead of Vietnam, in the name of ethnic interests - have incited other ethnic minority groups to drive a wedge between the Kinh and ethnic minority peoples, causing disorder and attracting attention from abroad.
But police forces are currently investigating and clarifying this issue, the public security ministry official stressed.
Major General Duc said the police will continue to pursue all remaining suspects, seize all weapons and explosives, and guarantee absolute safety for the people and the enforcement forces involved in the pursuit.
They will also carry out investigations and promptly handle cases in accordance with regulations.
Initial confessions from the arrested suspects said the ringleaders promised them a prosperous future as long as they follow their orders and shoot and kill everyone they run into at the commune offices.
The public security official also thanked the support of the people in Dak Lak, saying that the police would not be able to capture all the suspects and masterminds of the incident in such a short time without their crucial help.
By now, life in Cu Kuin District and especially in the two communes affected by the attacks "has returned to normal, and peace has been restored," Duc said.
