BANGKOK: At least 17 insurgents were killed by the Thai soldiers when they launched an attack on a military base in the country’s turbulent south early Wednesday.
“What we know so far is at least 60 armed insurgents opened fire at our marine base in Bacho at around 1:30 a.m. this morning and 17 of them were killed,” Lieutenant-General Paradorn Pattanathabutr, secretary-general of the National Security Council of Thailand, said.
Another Thai military official said that assailants were wearing ballistic vests and military-style uniforms and were armed with military assault weapons. Authorities seized 16 rifles and two pick-up trucks apparently belonging to the insurgents, he said.
Following the early Wednesday assault, Thai government was prompted to impose a curfew in parts of the south and authorities were checking hospitals and clinics for the injured attackers.
The spokesman of the army’s southern command, Col. Pramote Promin, said the army had been expecting the attack after being tipped off by villagers and “former insurgents fed up with the violence.” “This helped us to be fully prepared,” he said.
No Thai soldiers was wounded or killed in the attack, Colonel Promote said. “All the soldiers are safe.”
DND
