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Five people killed were the result of clashes between the Thai army and pro-independence armed groups from the three southern provinces of Thaliand. All of them were Thai Malay and Muslim, being that religion the main creed of the Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat provinces bordering Malaysia.

One of the victims was an insurgent who was shot dead by police in the Yala province. Acording to official sources, the remaining 4 were Muslim civilians working for the Thai government who were attacked by armed pro-independence groups as a punishment for their cooperation with the State. Victims are usually policemen, government officials or teachers, both Muslims and Buddhists.

The government of Thailand decided last week to extend the state of alert until next October through a decree establishing the deployment of governmental troops in the area. The army has been sent to stop violence and clashes which have resulted in 4,000 people dead in a 6-year old conflict.

'It is not Al-Quaeda'

Faced with this new wave of attacks, Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared his government "is determined for establishing peace and stability in the south through justice and development". The southern territories have a distinct religion, language and culture closer to Malaysia's than Thailand's, and feel excluded by Bangkok.

Vejjajiva also played down the importance of the conflict with the south by declaring that Thai top military commanders overseeing counterinsurgency operations have ruled out the presence of Al-Qaeda or jihadi tendencies: "Rebellion is essentially local and has no affiliations with global terrorism" he said.

Further information:

• AlertNet: Five Muslims killed in restive Thai south
• Indian Express: No al-Qaeda, jihadis in our South: Thailand govt
• Bangkok Post: Emergency law in far South extended