Officials said on Wednesday that a wave of arson and bombing attacks hit Thailand's southernmost provinces overnight, which have been the site of an active Muslim separatist insurgency for nearly two decades.

According to military spokesman Pramote Promin, at least 17 attacks occurred on Tuesday night in Pattani, Narathiwat, and Yala provinces, mostly at convenience stores and gas stations. Three civilians were reported injured. There have been no claims of responsibility.

Since the insurgency began in 2004, more than 7,300 people have been killed in the three provinces, which are the only ones in Buddhist-dominated Thailand with Muslim majorities. Attacks have also occurred in neighbouring Songkhla province.

Muslim residents in Thailand have long complained that they are treated as second-class citizens, and separatist movements have been active on and off for decades. Heavy-handed repression has fueled the unrest.

The attacks are the most high-profile since the Thai government and BRN—Barisan Revolusi Nasional Melayu Patani, believed to be the largest of several insurgent groups—agreed to a cease-fire during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in early April. In other recent violence, two Thai army ordnance experts on duty were killed later that month by a bomb.

According to Pramote, the attackers "dressed up as women, used motorcycles, and, in many cases, threw petrol bombs into the target sites" on Tuesday night.

Captain Sarayuth Kotchawong of the Yala Police Department said he received a report shortly before midnight that a suspect had entered a convenience store at a petrol station in Yala's Yaha district, placed a black bag inside, and warned employees to leave if they "did not want to die." The workers left 10 minutes before the bag exploded.

What is Barisan Revolusi Nasional Melayu Patani?

The Malaysian Barisan Revolusi Patani is an Islamist Patani independence movement in northern Malaysia and Patani, southern Thailand. It is also known by the abbreviation Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), which means "National Revolutionary Front." It is the most&nbsp;dangerous terror group in the region as of 2017.

The BRN was founded as a roughly territorial organisation that prioritised Pattani secessionism. However, since 2001, the BRN-C (BRN-Coordinasi) has become its most active wing, leading the insurgency in southern Thailand and imposing extreme religious values on local society.

The BRN-C, through its paramilitary wing "Pejuang Kemerdekaan Patani," is the main group responsible for the murder of teachers in the Southern Border Provinces.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

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Officials said on Wednesday that a wave of arson and bombing attacks hit Thailand's southernmost provinces overnight, which have been the site of an active Muslim separatist insurgency for nearly two decades.

Officials said on Wednesday that a wave of arson and bombing attacks hit Thailand's southernmost provinces overnight, which have been the site of an active Muslim separatist insurgency for nearly two decades. According to military spokesman Pramote Promin, at least 17 attacks occurred on Tuesday night in Pattani, Narathiwat, and Yala provinces, mostly at convenience stores and gas stations. Three civilians were reported injured. There have been no claims of responsibility. Since the insurgency began in 2004, more than 7,300 people have been killed in the three provinces, which are the only ones in Buddhist-dominated Thailand with Muslim majorities. Attacks have also occurred in neighbouring Songkhla province. Muslim residents in Thailand have long complained that they are treated as second-class citizens, and separatist movements have been active on and off for decades. Heavy-handed repression has fueled the unrest. The attacks are the most high-profile since the Thai government and BRN—Barisan Revolusi Nasional Melayu Patani, believed to be the largest of several insurgent groups—agreed to a cease-fire during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in early April. In other recent violence, two Thai army ordnance experts on duty were killed later that month by a bomb. According to Pramote, the attackers "dressed up as women, used motorcycles, and, in many cases, threw petrol bombs into the target sites" on Tuesday night. Captain Sarayuth Kotchawong of the Yala Police Department said he received a report shortly before midnight that a suspect had entered a convenience store at a petrol station in Yala's Yaha district, placed a black bag inside, and warned employees to leave if they "did not want to die." The workers left 10 minutes before the bag exploded. What is Barisan Revolusi Nasional Melayu Patani? The Malaysian Barisan Revolusi Patani is an Islamist Patani independence movement in northern Malaysia and Patani, southern Thailand. It is also known by the abbreviation Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), which means "National Revolutionary Front." It is the most dangerous terror group in the region as of 2017. The BRN was founded as a roughly territorial organisation that prioritised Pattani secessionism. However, since 2001, the BRN-C (BRN-Coordinasi) has become its most active wing, leading the insurgency in southern Thailand and imposing extreme religious values on local society. The BRN-C, through its paramilitary wing "Pejuang Kemerdekaan Patani," is the main group responsible for the murder of teachers in the Southern Border Provinces. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

At least 17 arson attacks and bombings rock southern Thailand

Suspected separatist insurgents stormed a security checkpoint in&nbsp;Thailand's&nbsp;Muslim-majority south and&nbsp;killed at least&nbsp;15&nbsp;people, including a police officer and many village defence volunteers, security officials said on Wednesday.

It was the&nbsp;worst&nbsp;single&nbsp;attack&nbsp;in&nbsp;years&nbsp;in a region where a Muslim separatist insurgency has&nbsp;killed thousands.

The&nbsp;attackers, in the province of Yala, also used explosives and scattered nails on roads to delay pursuers late on Tuesday night.

"This is likely the work of the insurgents," Colonel Pramote Prom-in, a regional security spokesman, told Reuters.

"This is one of the biggest&nbsp;attacks&nbsp;in recent times."

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, however, as is common with such&nbsp;attacks.

A decades-old separatist insurgency in predominantly Buddhist&nbsp;Thailand's&nbsp;largely ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces of Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat has&nbsp;killed nearly 7,000 people since 2004, says Deep South Watch, a group that monitors the violence.

The population of the provinces, which belonged to an independent Malay Muslim sultanate before Thailand annexed them in 1909, is 80 per cent Muslim, while the rest of the country is overwhelmingly Buddhist.

Some rebel groups in the south have said they are fighting to establish an independent state.

Authorities arrested several suspects from the region in August over a series of small bombs detonated in Bangkok, the capital, although they have not directly blamed any insurgent group.

The main insurgency group, the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), denied responsibility for the Bangkok bombings, which wounded four people.

In August, the group told Reuters it had held a secret preliminary meeting with the government, but any step towards a peace process appeared to wither after the deputy prime minister rejected a key demand for the release of prisoners.

Suspected separatist insurgents stormed a security checkpoint in Thailand's Muslim-majority south and killed at least 15 people, including a police officer and many village defence volunteers, security officials said on Wednesday.

Suspected separatist insurgents stormed a security checkpoint in Thailand's Muslim-majority south and killed at least 15 people, including a police officer and many village defence volunteers, security officials said on Wednesday. It was the worst single attack in years in a region where a Muslim separatist insurgency has killed thousands. The attackers, in the province of Yala, also used explosives and scattered nails on roads to delay pursuers late on Tuesday night. "This is likely the work of the insurgents," Colonel Pramote Prom-in, a regional security spokesman, told Reuters. "This is one of the biggest attacks in recent times." There was no immediate claim of responsibility, however, as is common with such attacks. A decades-old separatist insurgency in predominantly Buddhist Thailand's largely ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces of Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat has killed nearly 7,000 people since 2004, says Deep South Watch, a group that monitors the violence. The population of the provinces, which belonged to an independent Malay Muslim sultanate before Thailand annexed them in 1909, is 80 per cent Muslim, while the rest of the country is overwhelmingly Buddhist. Some rebel groups in the south have said they are fighting to establish an independent state. Authorities arrested several suspects from the region in August over a series of small bombs detonated in Bangkok, the capital, although they have not directly blamed any insurgent group. The main insurgency group, the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), denied responsibility for the Bangkok bombings, which wounded four people. In August, the group told Reuters it had held a secret preliminary meeting with the government, but any step towards a peace process appeared to wither after the deputy prime minister rejected a key demand for the release of prisoners.

Gunmen kill 15 in southern Thailand's worst attack in years

Two insurgents believed to be tied to a motorcycle drive-by shooting at a school in Thailand's south were shot dead Saturday, police said, as UNICEF warned of trauma for children near the scene of the lunchtime violence.

Since 2004 clashes between Malay-Muslim rebels and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/thailand-resumes-flights-ferry-services-as-tropical-storm-slows-188374">the Buddhist-majority Thai state</a> that annexed the area over 100 years ago have killed nearly 7,000 people, mostly civilians of both faiths.

The conflict rarely makes global headlines but is a reality for residents of border provinces where security forces maintain a large footprint, aided by poorly paid defence "volunteers" drawn from local communities.

The four men killed in Thursday's shooting were all Muslims and were guarding a school in Pattani province when the attackers struck just before lunchtime with students mere metres away.

Pattani provincial police commander Piyawat Chalermsri told AFP Saturday that two people with alleged ties to the school violence were killed in a shootout Saturday morning.

Though he did not give information about their identities or affiliation, he said he was "confident that they are the same group who carried out the attack Thursday" by driving by on motorbikes.

Authorities have also detained one suspect and are questioning five others, while a military source said an eight-year-old had been grazed by a bullet but not seriously injured.

UNICEF Thailand representative Thomas Davin said Friday that one child at the Bukoh school attack was reportedly injured by debris and some who may have witnessed the attack could face long term psychological trauma.

"This attack has undoubtedly put the school children, the teachers, and school personnel in harm’s way. It has put children at grave risk of injury or death," he said.

"Such violence could also affect parents’ willingness to send their children to school — potentially to the detriment of many children’s learning and future development."

The 15-year insurgency has seen scores of teachers killed, slain for their perceived collaboration with the Thai state, which led to the use of armed guards at schools.

The death toll in the conflict dropped to a record low last year as Thailand's junta tightened its security operations.

But recent weeks have seen an uptick in violence, as rebels show they remain able to carry out more pinpointed operations.

In a rare statement dated January 4 the main rebel group — the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) — swore to "keep fighting" while warning people not to help or support the state.

But Thai authorities, as well as the Malaysian facilitator of the talks, have recently expressed confidence they will make progress soon.

Former 4th Army commander Udomchai Thammasarorat said at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Thailand on Friday that he "wants to find a solution to exit from the violence" and he has urged the southern army commander to try and ensure public safety.

The four men killed in Thursday's shooting were all Muslims and were guarding a school in Pattani province when the attackers struck just before lunchtime with students mere metres away.

Two insurgents believed to be tied to a motorcycle drive-by shooting at a school in Thailand's south were shot dead Saturday, police said, as UNICEF warned of trauma for children near the scene of the lunchtime violence. Since 2004 clashes between Malay-Muslim rebels and the Buddhist-majority Thai state that annexed the area over 100 years ago have killed nearly 7,000 people, mostly civilians of both faiths. The conflict rarely makes global headlines but is a reality for residents of border provinces where security forces maintain a large footprint, aided by poorly paid defence "volunteers" drawn from local communities. The four men killed in Thursday's shooting were all Muslims and were guarding a school in Pattani province when the attackers struck just before lunchtime with students mere metres away. Pattani provincial police commander Piyawat Chalermsri told AFP Saturday that two people with alleged ties to the school violence were killed in a shootout Saturday morning. Though he did not give information about their identities or affiliation, he said he was "confident that they are the same group who carried out the attack Thursday" by driving by on motorbikes. Authorities have also detained one suspect and are questioning five others, while a military source said an eight-year-old had been grazed by a bullet but not seriously injured. UNICEF Thailand representative Thomas Davin said Friday that one child at the Bukoh school attack was reportedly injured by debris and some who may have witnessed the attack could face long term psychological trauma. "This attack has undoubtedly put the school children, the teachers, and school personnel in harm’s way. It has put children at grave risk of injury or death," he said. "Such violence could also affect parents’ willingness to send their children to school — potentially to the detriment of many children’s learning and future development." The 15-year insurgency has seen scores of teachers killed, slain for their perceived collaboration with the Thai state, which led to the use of armed guards at schools. The death toll in the conflict dropped to a record low last year as Thailand's junta tightened its security operations. But recent weeks have seen an uptick in violence, as rebels show they remain able to carry out more pinpointed operations. In a rare statement dated January 4 the main rebel group — the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) — swore to "keep fighting" while warning people not to help or support the state. But Thai authorities, as well as the Malaysian facilitator of the talks, have recently expressed confidence they will make progress soon. Former 4th Army commander Udomchai Thammasarorat said at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Thailand on Friday that he "wants to find a solution to exit from the violence" and he has urged the southern army commander to try and ensure public safety.

Thailand security forces kill two linked to deadly shooting at school