Unidentified men armed with assault rifles attacked two military outposts in Thailand’s predominantly Muslim south on Monday, killing at least four soldiers and wounding three others, officials said. There was confusion about the identity of the attackers. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra suggested that they were Islamic militants based in neighbouring Malaysia, but Defence Minister Thammarak Isarangura na Ayuthaya described them as common criminals. General Thammarak said the men attacked garrisons in Yala and Narathiwat provinces simultaneously at about 3.30 am (2030 GMT). One group of attackers opened fire on marines in the Sukhirin district of Narathiwat province, sparking a fire fight that left four soldiers dead and two others wounded, he said. Narathiwat Governor Thira Rojanapornphan told reporters that an initial investigation showed that about 15 men armed with pistols and AK-47 rifles stormed the marine camp, where 24 marines were sleeping. A second group of gunmen attacked a Thai army outpost in Yala province’s Thantho district, wounding one soldier and stealing 16 M-16 assault rifles. Full Story
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