Five paramilitary personnel killed in rebel attack in Thailand's Narathiwat province

Bangkok. Five paramilitary personnel were killed and 6 civilians were injured in an attack by rebels on a security outpost in Narathiwat province of southern Thailand. According to the Thai army, this attack took place on Wednesday evening at the Buketa Sami security outpost. 

According to military officials, about 10 attackers arrived at the scene in pickup trucks and motorcycles, wearing black clothes and black hats. They fired automatic weapons at the security personnel of Task Force Ranger Regiment-45 stationed at the security outpost and also used pipe bombs. 

The Thai army said that after the attack, they fled with three AK-47 rifles, three bulletproof jackets, and some mobile phones from the outpost. Security personnel later found the pickup truck used in the attack about 21 kilometers away from the scene. The vehicle was found abandoned after being set on fire. 

No group has claimed responsibility for the incident so far, and the police have not reported any arrests. 

The Thai government has termed this incident as a terrorist attack. In a statement issued by government spokesperson Rachada Dhanadirek, it was mentioned that such violent activities pose a serious threat to national security and weaken efforts to restart the peace process in the southern region. 

The Thai army paid tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives in the attack and said that their service and sacrifice would always be remembered with respect. This is considered one of the deadliest attacks on Thai security forces in recent years. It has also raised concerns about the resurgence of violence in the southern border region. 

A day before this incident, a car bomb exploded outside the former Tanyo police outpost in another area of Narathiwat. In that incident, one policeman was injured and the building was damaged. 

The police said they are searching for two suspects who fled on motorcycles after the car bomb explosion. According to The Nation of Thailand, this is the first car bomb explosion in the southern border region this year. 

The provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala are primarily inhabited by the Malay Muslim community. These areas have been the center of an armed separatist movement since 2004. Since then, more than seven thousand people, including civilians, security personnel, and rebels, have lost their lives in the ongoing violence.