Five soldiers killed in southern Thailand checkpoint attack

ALJAZEERA - Five Thai paramilitary soldiers have been killed and six civilians wounded in an attack on a security checkpoint in the country’s rebel-hit south, according to the army.

The assault took place on Wednesday evening at the Buketa Sami checkpoint in Narathiwat province.

About 10 assailants dressed in black and wearing black brimmed hats arrived in a pickup truck and ⁠on motorcycles before launching an attack, the military’s Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 ⁠said in a statement.

Attackers used gunfire and pipe bombs against members of Task Force Ranger Regiment 45 while they were guarding the area, the army added.

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

Security forces ‌later found the pickup truck used in the assault abandoned and set ablaze about 21 km (13 miles) from the scene.

No group has claimed responsibility, and authorities have not announced any arrests.

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 spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek said in a statement.

The army paid tribute to the soldiers, saying their “service and sacrifice will be remembered and honoured with the highest respect”.

The attack was one of the deadliest against Thai security forces in recent years and comes amid renewed concern over violence in the country’s southern border provinces.

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

Police were searching for two suspects seen fleeing on a motorcycle after Tuesday’s bombing. It was the first car bombing recorded in the southern border region this year, according to Thailand’s The Nation.

Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala provinces are predominantly populated by ethnic Malay Muslims and have been at the centre of an armed separatist conflict since 2004. More than 7,000 people have been killed, including civilians, security personnel and fighters.

Formal talks between the Thai government and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional, the main separatist group, were expected to resume in June after a rise in violence. The negotiations have struggled to resolve disagreements over self-government, security measures and political representation.