Illegal loggers kill forest ranger in northern Vietnam
Illegal loggers were being sought for allegedly shooting to death a forest ranger in northern Vietnam, state-controlled media reported Thursday.
Tran Xuan Bac died Tuesday after being shot in the chest by the loggers while on patrol with three other rangers in the forest in Na Hang district in Tuyen Quang province, about 200 kilometers (124 miles) northwest of Hanoi, the Labor newspaper said.
The newspaper said the three illegal loggers, armed with guns and a machete, fled when they were asked to stop and began shooting when the rangers gave chase.
Police were still searching for the men, who are believed to be hiding in the forest, the newspaper said.
Guns are strictly prohibited in communist Vietnam, and violent crimes involving fire arms are extremely rare.
The Associated Press - September 30, 2004.
|