Narathiwat: At least five paramilitary troops were killed and six civilians injured in an attack on a security checkpoint in southern Thailand, authorities said on Thursday.According to TRTworld.com, the attack occurred late on Wednesday in the Ra-ngae district of Narathiwat province. Approximately 10 armed assailants opened fire and hurled pipe bombs at a checkpoint operated by a Ranger Company, as reported by the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC).The five personnel lost their lives at the scene, while the attackers made off with three AK-47 rifles, three bulletproof vests, and three mobile phones. Authorities later discovered the attackers' pickup truck abandoned and set on fire about 21 kilometers (13 miles) from the scene.Six civilians were injured in the attack, including a 10-year-old boy who remained in stable condition in the hospital, according to ISOC. In response, security forces sealed off the area and launched an operation to identify and apprehend those responsible. ISOC stated i t would "expedite the investigation and search for the perpetrators with the best efforts."Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul condemned the incident, describing it as a "terrorist attack" that deliberately targeted government personnel and posed "a serious threat to national security," according to government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek. The decades-long conflict in the region has claimed more than 7,000 lives since 2004.Footage broadcast by Thai PBS showed nearby homes damaged in the attack, with bullet holes visible in buildings and several vehicles destroyed.
