By Xinhua
Bangkok : At least eight soldiers were killed when an army patrol unit was ambushed by insurgents in Thailand’s restive southern province of Narathiwat Monday morning, local media reported.
The insurgents ambushed the patrol unit of the Narathiwat Taskforce 34 on a road at the Rupoh village in Chanae district, Narathiwat, the FM 100 radio reported.
The two sides exchanged gunfire for about 30 minutes before the insurgents retreated, the report said.
Earlier reports said the ambush killed one soldier and injured seven others.
Thailand has been facing an increased Islamist secessionist movement since 2001-2002, which has killed more than 1,500 people so far. There have been nearly 400 bombings and as many as 400 arson attacks in these years, according to the country’s interior ministry.
Ten of the 33 districts in the deep south are plagued by violence and the number is increasing.