Islamist Militants Kill 2, Injure Another 2 in Southern Thailand - Reports

BANGKOK (Sputnik) - Islamist militants killed two and wounded another two volunteers from local defense forces in the Narathiwat Province of southern Thailand, local media reported on Sunday.

Channel 3 reported that militants attacked a guard post at a local educational center and a nearby house belonging to one of the volunteers at 5:30 p.m. local time (10:30 GMT) on Saturday. According to the news outlet, the owner of the house was shot dead, while three men at the guard post sustained gunshot wounds and were transported to a hospital, where one of the injured later died.

The broadcaster added that an improvised explosive device had detonated in a garage in neighboring Songkhla Province at around 5 a.m local time (22:00 GMT) on Sunday. The first explosion was followed by a more powerful one, which occurred after police officers arrived at the scene. No one has been injured as a result of the attack, the television channel added.

READ MORE: Bomb Blast Hits Southern Thailand Leaving Six Servicemen Injured — Reports

According to the broadcaster, the police believe that the attacks were carried out by Islamist separatist groups operating in the south of the country.

Both Narathiwat and Songkhla provinces have been involved in an almost-century-long dispute between the Patani Region in the south of Thailand and the government.