Thai military forces kill 16 insurgents after failed attack on southern base
Thai soldiers training in Cobra Gold, America’s largest war games, run through chemical attack drills on February 14, 2012. About 13,000 military personnel from seven nations — South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, the U.S., Singapore, Japan and Malaysia — are involved in the exercise.
Sixteen Thai insurgents were killed after they launched a failed attack on a military base in the southern province of Narathiwat, where Muslim anti-government forces continue to clash with the Buddhist government.
50 militants were involved in the attack early on Feb 13th, reports the Bangkok Post — unaware that military leaders at the base had been forewarned of the attack, and were ready to defend their position.
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Military forces planted explosives on the road into the base to deter the insurgents, then repelled them in a brief firefight, added the Post.
The insurgents appeared to be "heavily armed" with military-grade weapons, according to CNN, which added that some Thai Navy personnel were wounded, but none killed.
Earlier in the month, five Thai soldier were killed and five wounded after insurgents staged road-side attacks, writes Al Jazeera, prompting government talk of a curfew in the south.