Six soldiers killed in bomb attack in Thailand

Thai soldiers are investigating the site of a bomb explosion in the southern city of Pattani, Thailand, April 10, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Six soldiers in Thailand have been killed and four others wounded in a roadside bomb explosion in a southern province.

The explosion occurred as the soldiers were on a routine patrol in the violence-plagued Pattani Province on Monday, according to district police chief Pruk Liangsukwho.

“It is likely the work of violent groups in the area because this area is a red area,” Pruk said. “We are still checking the scene.”

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bomb attack.

Thailand’s southern provinces have been the scene of bomb attacks and drive-by shootings on an almost daily basis.

Three provinces, namely Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat, have faced militancy since 2004. According to Deep South Watch, which monitors the conflict, more than 6,800 people have so far lost their lives in the violence.

Militants fighting for greater autonomy often target perceived collaborators with the Thai government. Muslims and Buddhist civilians have fallen victim to their shooting or bomb attacks.