NARATHIWAT, Thailand – Five paramilitary rangers were killed and five civilians, including a 10-year-old boy, were wounded when gunmen launched a gun and pipe bomb attack on a checkpoint in Thailand’s southern province of Narathiwat on Wednesday evening.
The attack occurred at around 6:45 p.m. on July 22 at the Buke Sami checkpoint in Ra-ngae district. According to security sources, six attackers dressed in black arrived in a black four-door Nissan pickup truck before opening fire and throwing pipe bombs at the outpost, which was manned paramilitary rangers. A high-ranking security source said that after the assault, the gunmen approached the bodies of the fallen rangers to steal body armor and ammunition pouches before fleeing.
Later that night, at approximately 8:50 p.m., residents in Sri Sakhon district reported finding a black four-door Nissan pickup truck completely engulfed in flames on a local road. Authorities believe the vehicle was the one used in the attack and was burned to destroy DNA evidence and disrupt the investigation. Recent intelligence also indicated that operational networks were planning bomb attacks and arson targeting key economic areas in Sungai Kolok and Waeng districts, prompting authorities to maximize security measures in those commercial zones. A military spokesperson condemned the attack, calling it a brazen and inhumane act.
The regional security command stated that using weapons of war in urban areas endangered the lives and property of innocent civilians, including children, women, and the elderly. It expressed condolences to those affected and vowed to swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice. Authorities are currently tracking two motorcycles believed to have served as scout and escort vehicles for the attackers. (TNA)
