Five Thai soldiers killed in Narathiwat checkpoint assault
Thailand’s army said attackers used guns and pipe bombs at a southern checkpoint, killing five paramilitary soldiers and wounding six civilians.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
2 min read
Five Thai paramilitary soldiers were killed when attackers struck a security checkpoint in Narathiwat province, the Thai army said. The assault adds to concern over violence in Thailand’s southern border provinces, where a separatist conflict has killed more than 7,000 people since 2004, according to AFP.
The army said six civilians were also wounded in the Wednesday evening attack at the Buketa Sami checkpoint. It said the soldiers were members of Task Force Ranger Regiment 45 and were guarding the area when the attackers opened fire and used pipe bombs.
No organization has claimed the attack, and authorities have not reported any arrests, according to AFP. The army said the soldiers’ service and sacrifice would be remembered and honored with high respect.
Two attacks in Narathiwat
The checkpoint assault followed another blast in Narathiwat a day earlier. AFP reported that a car bomb detonated outside the former Tanyong police station, injuring one officer and damaging the building.
Police were looking for two suspects who were seen leaving the area on a motorcycle after Tuesday’s bombing, according to AFP. Thailand’s The Nation reported that the blast was the first car bombing recorded this year in the southern border region.
AFP described the checkpoint assault as one of the deadliest recent attacks on Thai security forces. Narathiwat is one of three southern provinces, along with Pattani and Yala, that have been at the center of the long-running conflict.
Long-running separatist conflict
AFP reported that Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala are largely populated by ethnic Malay Muslims. The provinces have been the focus of an armed separatist conflict since 2004, with civilians, security personnel and fighters among those killed.
Formal talks between the Thai government and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional, identified by AFP as the main separatist group, were expected to restart in June after violence increased. AFP reported that the negotiations have been hampered by disputes over self-government, security arrangements and political representation.
Authorities have not said who they believe carried out either the checkpoint attack or the car bombing. The two incidents place fresh pressure on security forces in a region where peace efforts have made limited progress, according to AFP’s account of the negotiations and recent violence.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.