At least five paramilitary rangers were killed and several civilians injured after a group of armed assailants launched a coordinated ambush on a security checkpoint in Thailand’s restive southern province of Narathiwat. The assault took place at the Bukeh Sami market security checkpoint in the Ra-ngae district, an operational post managed by Task Force Ranger Regiment 45.
According to security forces and local authorities, the attackers dressed in black arrived at the scene in a pickup truck and on motorcycles before unleashing a rapid barrage using military-grade firearms and pipe bombs. CCTV footage captured the assault unfolding within seconds as the gunmen targeted the stationed rangers and threw explosives directly into the post. Five volunteer paramilitary soldiers died at the scene, while the blast and gunfire injured nearby civilians, including young children who were passing through the market area at the time of the strike.
Following the deadly exchange, the assailants seized three assault rifles, bulletproof gear, and mobile phones belonging to the fallen rangers before fleeing the location toward neighboring districts. Security forces later discovered the pickup truck used in the raid abandoned and set ablaze approximately 21 kilometers from the site in Sri Sakhon district, a tactic frequently employed to destroy forensic evidence.
In response to the attack, military and police units sealed off the surrounding area, cordoned off key transit routes, and launched comprehensive search operations to track down the perpetrators. High-level security alerts were ordered across all operational units in the southern border provinces to maintain vigilance and prevent secondary strikes. While no group immediately claimed responsibility, government and human rights officials condemned the attack as a brutal act of terrorism that severely undermines regional stability and ongoing peace initiatives in Thailand’s deep south.
