Violence rocks southern Thailand as five security personnel killed, civilians wounded in attack

 

An armed attack on a roadside checkpoint in Narathiwat, Thailand, has left five security personnel dead and six civilians injured, including two children.

According to Reuters, around 10 assailants dressed in black and wearing black-brimmed hats arrived in a pickup truck and on motorcycles before launching the assault with military-grade firearms and pipe bombs.

The injured children were a three-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy.

Authorities said the attackers seized three AK-47 rifles, three bulletproof vests, and several mobile phones from the checkpoint before fleeing the scene.

Security forces later found the pickup truck used in the attack abandoned and torched about 21km away from the site.

The government condemned the attack as an act of terrorism that posed “a serious threat to national security” and undermined ongoing efforts to revive the peace process, government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Bernama quoted army official Norathip Phoyanok as stating the attack took place at the Ranger Company 4509’s checkpoint in Bukit Sami, Rangae district.

“Initial investigations found that more than six masked suspects dressed in dark clothing attacked the checkpoint by opening fire and throwing pipe bombs at security personnel,” he added.

Narathiwat governor Boonchuai Hormyamyen has ordered security forces comprising police, military personnel and administrative officers to tighten security along the Malaysia-Thailand border and across all 13 districts in Narathiwat following a rise in violent incidents in the province.

He said the scene had been sealed off to allow forensic examinations and evidence collection, while investigations to identify those behind the attack are ongoing.

The attack was among the deadliest targeting Thai security forces in recent years and comes amid renewed concerns over escalating violence in the country’s southern border provinces.

The assault on the checkpoint occurred a day after a car bomb exploded outside the former Tanyong police station elsewhere in Narathiwat, injuring a police officer and damaging the building.

Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala provinces, which ethnic Malay Muslims predominantly inhabit, have been at the centre of an armed separatist conflict since 2004. More than 7,000 people, including civilians, security personnel, and insurgents, have been killed in the violence.

Formal peace talks between the Thai government and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), the main separatist group, were expected to resume in June following a surge in violence.

However, negotiations have continued to face challenges over key issues, including self-governance, security arrangements, and political representation. - Mkini