Five Thai paramilitary soldiers were killed and six civilians wounded in an attack on a security checkpoint in the country's insurgency-hit south, the army reported on Thursday.

The assault occurred Wednesday evening at the Buketa Sami checkpoint in Narathiwat province. Attackers used gunfire and pipe bombs against members of Task Force Ranger Regiment 45 who were guarding the area, the army said. No group has claimed responsibility, and authorities have not announced any arrests.

The army paid tribute to the fallen soldiers, stating their “service and sacrifice will be remembered and honoured with the highest respect.”

The attack is one of the deadliest against Thai security forces in recent years and comes amid renewed concern over violence in the country's southern border provinces, which have been plagued by a separatist insurgency since 2004.

The checkpoint assault followed a car bomb explosion on Tuesday outside the former Tanyong police station elsewhere in Narathiwat, which injured an officer and damaged the building. Police are searching for two suspects seen fleeing on a motorcycle after that bombing, which was the first car bombing recorded in the region this year.

Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala provinces are predominantly populated by ethnic Malay Muslims and have been the epicenter of an armed separatist conflict that has killed over 7,000 people, including civilians, security personnel, and fighters.

Formal peace talks between the Thai government and the main separatist group, Barisan Revolusi Nasional, were expected to resume in June after a rise in violence. However, negotiations have struggled to resolve disagreements over self-governance, security measures, and political representation.

Source: www.aljazeera.com