Five Thai Soldiers Killed in Deadly Southern Checkpoint Attack
BANGKOK_ Five Thai soldiers were killed and six civilians wounded in an attack on a military checkpoint in Thailand’s southern Narathiwat province, the army said on Thursday, marking one of the deadliest incidents in the country’s insurgency-hit south in recent years.
The assault took place on Wednesday evening at the Bukeh Sami checkpoint, where members of Task Force Ranger Regiment 45 were deployed to protect local residents, according to a statement issued by the Thai army.
The army said unidentified assailants opened fire on the checkpoint and hurled pipe bombs at soldiers while they were on duty. Five members of the unit were killed in the attack.
Provincial authorities in Narathiwat said six civilians were also injured during the assault. Officials said no group had claimed responsibility for the attack and that no arrests had been made.
The military paid tribute to the soldiers killed, saying their service and sacrifice would be remembered and honored with the highest respect.
Narathiwat is one of three Muslim-majority provinces in Thailand’s deep south that have experienced a long-running separatist insurgency. The region has been the scene of recurring violence for more than two decades despite repeated efforts to improve security and advance peace initiatives.
The conflict, which reignited in 2004, has claimed the lives of more than 7,000 people. Insurgent groups seeking greater autonomy for the predominantly Muslim southern provinces have frequently targeted members of Thailand’s security forces, although civilians have also been affected by the violence.
Attacks in the region typically involve roadside bombs, shootings and coordinated assaults on military and police positions. Security personnel remain on high alert across the southern border provinces as authorities continue investigations into the latest attack.
The deadly assault underscores the persistent security challenges facing Thailand’s southernmost provinces, where periodic outbreaks of violence continue despite years of counterinsurgency operations and intermittent dialogue efforts aimed at ending the conflict.
