PATTANI — Insurgents have warned Muslim defence volunteers in the southern border region to back down or face life-threatening consequences.
Authorities reported that leaflets threatening the lives of Muslim defence volunteers were found at a mosque in Kapho district shortly after midnight on Friday. The paper, written in Thai Malayu, was left by two young men on a motorcycle who then fled the scene.
Defence volunteers have recently become targets of separatist insurgents amid escalating violence in the southernmost provinces. The latest incident occurred on Monday when a bomb went off in a car driven by defence volunteer Suyanee Seeba, who sustained serious injuries.
This threat came a day after Fourth Army Region commander Lt Gen Paisal Noosang visited Cho Airong district in Narathiwat to boost the morale of security personnel.
Lt Gen Paisal emphasised the importance of law enforcement without violating human rights, saying that operations are directed at insurgents and vulnerable groups.
On March 8, the Sungai Kolok district office in Narathiwat province was attacked with multiple bombs and gunfire, killing two defence volunteers and injuring 14 other people.
Between January 2004 and January 2025, there were 22,962 security incidents recorded by Deep South Watch, resulting in 7,683 deaths and 14,415 injuries.