Five Thai soldiers killed in deadly checkpoint attack

Five Thai soldiers were killed and six civilians injured after gunmen launched a deadly attack on a security checkpoint in Thailand's southern province of Narathiwat, in one of the region's deadliest incidents in recent years.

The attack happened on Wednesday evening in the Bukeh Sami area of Narathiwat, a province that has long been affected by a separatist insurgency, according to Al Jazeera.

According to Thai authorities, about 10 armed attackers, dressed in black and travelling in a pickup truck, opened fire on soldiers manning the checkpoint before hurling pipe bombs at the position.

The assailants fled the scene after stealing several AK-47 rifles, bulletproof vests and mobile phones belonging to the slain soldiers.

Security officials later recovered the suspects' vehicle, which had been set ablaze about 21 kilometres from the attack site.

#Thailand ??: Islamist Patani group “National Revolutionary Front” (#BRN) attacked a checkpoint and killed at least Five Thai Rangers in Ra-ngae, Narathiwat.

Attackers seem to be armed with a possible M16A1 (Colt 653) pattern carbine with 11.5" barrel, pistol and AK / AR rifles. pic.twitter.com/UoT0plBLrG

— War Noir (@war_noir) July 23, 2026

Thailand's army identified the victims as members of Task Force Ranger Regiment 45, saying they had been deployed to protect local residents when they came under attack.

The military condemned the assault and vowed to bring those responsible to justice.

The six injured civilians, including a 10-year-old boy, were caught in the crossfire as the attackers exchanged gunfire with security personnel.

Nearby homes also sustained damage from bullets and explosions during the assault.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack and no arrests had been announced by Thursday.

However, suspicion is likely to fall on separatist insurgents who have waged a decades-long campaign in Thailand's Muslim-majority southern provinces.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul condemned the killings, describing them as an act of terrorism and a serious threat to national security. He ordered security agencies to intensify efforts to track down those responsible and strengthen protection for residents in the affected region.

Thailand's southernmost provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala have experienced persistent violence since the insurgency reignited in 2004.

The conflict is rooted in longstanding grievances among ethnic Malay Muslims, who have complained of discrimination and heavy-handed security operations by the Thai state.

More than 7,000 people have been killed in the conflict over the past two decades despite repeated peace initiatives and increased military deployments.

The latest attack underscores the continuing security challenges facing Thai authorities in the country's troubled south.