Thailand: Two soldiers killed Pattani province on September 11

Event

On the evening (local time) of Tuesday, September 11, a military patrol was ambushed by suspected militants in the Nongchik district of Pattani province. According to a security officials, two soldiers were killed, and four more wounded in the attack. Further attacks by militants are possible in Pattani province in the coming days.

Context

Insurgent attacks have been ongoing in the southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat (as well as in several districts of Songkhla province) since 2004. Martial law has been in effect in these areas since 2006. Acts of arson, bombings, and shootings targeting civilians, security forces, government offices, shops, markets, and transportation infrastructure are regularly reported. Nearly 8000 people have been killed and thousands more wounded in the violence, including foreign nationals.

Advice

As a reminder, some Western governments advise against nonessential travel to the above provinces, located on the Thai-Malaysia border.