By Xinhua
Bangkok : Eight security personnel were killed when a patrol unit was ambushed by insurgents in Thailand’s restive southern province Narathiwat Monday morning, while two soldiers from a teacher escort unit were injured in a bomb attack in nearby province Yala.
Meanwhile insurgents launched attacks at local telecommunications system, causing suspension of phone service, in the three southernmost provinces — Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani, where unabated insurgent violence have killed over 2,800 people since it resurrected four years ago.
The ambush against the patrol unit of the Narathiwat Taskforce 34 happened on a road at the Rupoh village in Chanae district, Narathiwat, according to the FM 100 radio.
The two sides exchanged gunfire for about 30 minutes before the insurgent retreated, the report said.
Earlier reports said the ambush caused one soldier to be killed and seven others injured, who were rushed to the hospital.
In Narathiwat’s Sungai Kolok district, suspected insurgents torched GSM mobile phone signal facilities at several locations, disrupting mobile phone services.
While in neighboring province of Yala, a unit of soldiers escorting local teachers to work in Yaha district were hit by a bomb ambush on Monday morning. Two soldiers were injured.
Also in Yala, fake bombs were discovered by patrol officials on roads in the Muang district (provincial seat) and Raman district.
Bomb experts called to the scenes found the bombs were not genuine and were part of an ongoing operation to create a disturbance.
In the same two districts, suspected insurgents reportedly destroyed public phone lines Monday morning, causing suspension of communications.
In nearby province Pattani, two mobile phone towers and three public telephone booths were burned. Three caches of suspected bomb-making materials were found and a bomb disposal squad has inspected those materials.