- Authorities Launch Manhunt After Gunmen Target Security Checkpoint, Injure Civilians
BANGKOK: Thai authorities have launched an intensive search for those responsible for a deadly attack in the country’s insurgency-hit deep south after gunmen killed five soldiers and wounded several civilians during an assault on a security checkpoint in Narathiwat province.
According to the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Region 4, around 10 armed attackers opened fire and hurled pipe bombs at soldiers stationed at a checkpoint near a residential area on Wednesday evening before fleeing the scene.
The attack also injured six civilians, including a 10-year-old boy who remains hospitalized in stable condition.
Attackers Fled After Stealing Weapons and Equipment
Security officials said the assailants escaped in a black pickup truck after stealing three AK-47 rifles, three bulletproof vests, and three mobile phones from the soldiers.
Authorities later discovered the vehicle abandoned and set ablaze approximately 21 kilometers (13 miles) from the attack site.
Photographs released by investigators showed the suspected attackers dressed in black clothing and hats while riding in the back of the pickup truck before carrying out the assault.
Prime Minister Condemns ‘Terrorist Attack’
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul strongly condemned the violence, describing it as a terrorist attack deliberately targeting government personnel and posing a serious threat to national security.
Government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said the Prime Minister had directed security agencies to bring those responsible to justice and strengthen security measures in the region.
Meanwhile, the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 pledged to intensify its investigation and deploy all available resources to locate and apprehend the perpetrators.
Civilian Homes Damaged in the Assault
The violence also caused significant damage to nearby residential properties.
Footage broadcast by Thai PBS showed shattered roofs, broken windows, and damaged doors in several homes located close to the security checkpoint. A motorcycle parked outside one residence was completely destroyed, while another home’s metal front gate was riddled with bullet holes.
Long-Running Insurgency Continues in Thailand’s Deep South
Narathiwat, together with the neighboring provinces of Yala and Pattani, forms Thailand’s predominantly Muslim southern region, which has experienced a separatist insurgency for more than two decades.
Since 2004, the conflict has claimed thousands of lives as insurgent groups continue to wage attacks against government forces and state institutions.
The unrest has its roots in longstanding grievances among many Muslim residents, who have complained of discrimination and political marginalization within the predominantly Buddhist country. Although the intensity of the conflict has declined in recent years, sporadic attacks continue to pose serious security challenges for Thai authorities.
BY: The Times Union
