A commune police officer and two of his friends were attacked by 10 men wielding samurai-style swords in Ratanakkiri province’s Kon Mom district in the early hours of Wednesday morning, local police said.
Dy Poeun, 26, an officer in Trapaing Kraham commune, had been sent to provide security for a wedding, but later drove his police-issued motorbike to Banlung City to drink with friends at a karaoke bar, according to Kon Mom district police chief Phok Burith.
They then got into an argument with another group, who attacked them with swords, severing the finger of one of Mr. Poeun’s friends.
The trio, realizing they were outnumbered, fled, according to Buth Heng, police chief of Laban Siek commune in Banlung.
He said police were still seeking to arrest the ten sword-wielding attackers.
However, Mr. Burith, the district police chief, blamed Mr. Poeun.
“I ordered the commune chief to file a complaint about him taking a police motorcycle to go drinking outside the area he was supposed to protect, and for getting into an argument with gangsters,” he said.
Mr. Poeun and one friend escaped the onslaught of sword blows with only minor injuries, while the man who had his finger severed is being treated at the provincial referral hospital, Mr. Burith added.
