Deadly Ambush on Thai Security Checkpoint Leaves Five Soldiers Dead

A deadly ambush on a security checkpoint in Narathiwat, Thailand, has left five Thai paramilitary rangers dead and six civilians injured, after heavily armed attackers launched a coordinated assault in one of the country’s most volatile regions.

Newly released CCTV footage captures the attack at the Bukeh Sami security checkpoint, where gunmen armed with automatic weapons opened fire before hurling pipe bombs at security personnel.

Coordinated Attack Caught on Camera

According to Thailand’s Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, about 10 attackers arrived at the checkpoint on motorcycles and in a pickup truck.

Authorities said the suspects, dressed in black clothing and black brimmed hats, launched a surprise assault on members of Task Force Ranger Regiment 45, who were guarding the checkpoint at the time.

Investigators said the attackers fired multiple rounds and used pipe bombs during the attack before seizing three AK-47 rifles, three bulletproof vests and several mobile phones from the checkpoint.

The group then fled the scene.

Authorities Launch Manhunt

Security forces later discovered the pickup truck believed to have been used in the attack abandoned and burned about 21 kilometers (13 miles) from the checkpoint.

No group has claimed responsibility, and authorities have not announced any arrests.

Officials have launched a large-scale investigation while searching for those responsible.

Violence Escalates in Southern Thailand

The attack came just one day after a car bomb exploded outside the former Tanyong Police Station, also in Narathiwat province, injuring a police officer and damaging the building.

The Thai government condemned the checkpoint attack as an act of terrorism, saying it threatens national security and ongoing peace efforts in the country’s southern border region.

Narathiwat, along with Pattani and Yala, has remained at the center of an armed separatist conflict since 2004. More than 7,000 people have died during the decades-long insurgency.

Video coverage of this incident is available on the BuzzinOnlineNews Instagram page (@buzzinonlinenews).