Two soldiers were killed when their vehicle was ambushed and set ablaze by militants in Rueso district of Narathiwat province on Thursday, reports said.
The incident occurred at about 11.30am as a pickup truck from Narathiwat Task Force 30 was passing in front of a mosque in Baluka Hulu village in tambon Batong, according to Pol Lt Uthai Panthong, the duty officer at Rueso police station.
A group of eight or nine militants, following in another truck, opened fire with M16 and AK47 rifles. Cpl Prasit Nakararuang, who was driving, was hit and killed behind the wheel, bringing the truck to a halt on the roadside.
Pvt Yusop Teli was wounded and got of the vehicle to run. But he was again shot and killed while fleeing.
The militants searched the pick-up truck and took a 9mm pistol off Cpl Prasit and an M16 rifle from Pvt Yuspo. They then poured petrol on the pickup and on the bodies of the two soldiers and set them on fire, before escaping. The troops had been attached to Infantry Company 15132.
The militants also deployed metal spikes on the road to impede pursuers.