Leader (deemed) Ustaz Rorhing Headquarters Unknown | Founded c. 2002 Ideology Separatism
Islamism | |
The Runda Kumpulan Kecil (RKK), meaning 'Small Patrol Units', is an militant Islamic insurgent group operating in Southern Thailand.
Contents
RKK has been one of the most brutal and active violent groups of the South Thailand insurgency in recent years.
History
This group was founded by young members of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional-Coordinasi that had received military training in Indonesia. Therefore, it is still considered by some analysts as an offshoot of the Pejuang Kemerdekaan Patani connected to the BRN-C, and not as an independent organisation.
The RKK outfit is based on well-trained, ruthless and effective commando-style groups, named 'small patrol unit' (Runda Kumpulan Kecil) after the description of their month-long military training course. It works in a loosely organised system of cells named ayoh of five to eight members, dependent on local hard-line religious leaders for direction and indoctrination. Owing to the amorphous nature of this clandestine cell network, the command structure and extent of the organisation are not know to its members. Estimates range from 500 to a total of 3,000 RKK members, including women.
RKK members have confessed to the Thai authorities that they routinely flee to Malaysia after carrying out violent attacks in Yala, Pattani or Narathiwat Province. Although several RKK's members have been arrested or killed by the Thai military in the past decade, it is very difficult for those involved in counter-insurgency to penetrate the structure of the group owing to its secrecy and great mobility.
Incidents
The RKK group has been involved in numerous arson, bombing and murder attacks in the past decade. Seventeen suspects who were arrested by the Thai Police after the assassination of a Buddhist monk on 16 October 2005 claimed to be part of the RKK. The reports that followed the arrest stated that the insurgent group members had been trained at Muslim schools in Bandung, Indonesia.