Five Soldiers Killed, Six Civilians Injured in Thailand Checkpoint Attack

Five Thai soldiers were killed in an attack on a military checkpoint in Narathiwat province in the country's restive south.

At least six civilians were also injured in the attack, including a 10-year-boy, local officials said.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Thursday called the attack a "brazen act of terrorism" that posed "a serious threat to national security."

What do we know about the attack?

The incident took place on Wednesday when around 10 people opened fire at the security checkpoint and threw pipe bombs at soldiers from the Thai Rangers auxiliary force, before fleeing the scene.

Thailand's Internal Security Operations Command said the attackers stole three AK-47 rifles, three bullet proof vests and three mobile phones from the soldiers.

Their vehicle was later found abandoned and set on fire 21 kilometers (13 miles) away from the scene.

A low-level conflict has simmered since 2004 in Thailand's southernmost provinces, with rebels in the Muslim-majority area fighting for greater autonomy in Buddhist-majority Thailand.

More than 7,000 people have been killed in the conflict. Government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said the past few months in particular had seen a series of violent incidents carried out by a "terrorist network seeking to instill fear among the public and target state officials."