A border police official was shot by an unknown assailant while asleep in a hammock in Ratanakkiri province on Wednesday.

According to O’Yadav district deputy police chief Ngory Dom, the victim, Romas Khvang, 40, of border police unit 623, was severely injured when the assailant shot him through his forearm and right abdomen on Wednesday night.

Dom said that upon hearing the gunfire, local police officials went to the scene but the shooter had already escaped.

The victim, who was sent to Bakeo district hospital by the police, has since been transferred by his family to Vietnam for treatment as his injuries were too severe to be treated locally.

“Until now, authorities do not know the reason behind the shooting . . . whether it is out of spite or an armed robbery or otherwise, since there is no confirmation from the victim yet,” he said.

Dom added that authorities have discovered an AK-47 shell casing and shoe imprints that can be traced to a spot 15 metres away from the hammock, where the assailant is believed to have fired the shot.

“The authorities searched and surrounded the forest behind the village to look for the suspect, but as of now, we do not have any clues that might lead to the suspect,” Dom said.