In a rare victory for government security forces in Thailand's troubled deep South, a patrol of para-military troops on Friday killed five suspected insurgents after a 30-minute clash. The Thai patrol ran into an ambush near Kutong village, in Rangae district of Narathiwat province, 790 kilometres south of Bangkok, at about 10 a.m. Friday. A 30-minute gun battle ensued before the suspected separatists withdrew, leaving behind five dead, two M-16 assault rifles and one rifle. There were no casualties reported on the government side.
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The incident happened not far from where unidentified gunmen shot a military bus carrying primary students who were returning from a visit to a zoo in Songkhla province yesterday. Five students were injured in the attack.