Two Buddhist monks shot dead in Thailand’s deep south

Buddhist monks in Thailand have been told to suspend morning alms collection after gunmen in deep south shot dead two monks and wounded two others inside a temple, police said Saturday.

The southern army commander has instructed security officials to step up safeguards of Islamic leaders who could also be at risk.

Black-clad assailants carrying rifles crept into Rattanaupap temple in Narathiwat province near Malaysia’s border on Friday evening and started firing, local superintendent Pakdi Preechachon said.

“The attack took place around 7:30 p.m. (1230 GMT) when an unknown number of gunmen dressed in black entered the temple through a rear area via a creek,” Pakdi said.

“Two monks were shot dead at the temple while two others were wounded.”

Since 2004 clashes between ethnic Malay-Muslim rebels and the Buddhist-majority Thai state that annexed the region a century ago have killed nearly 7,000 people, mostly civilians of both faiths.

The death toll in the south dropped to a record low last year as Thailand’s junta tightened its security web but violence has boiled over in recent days, raising concerns about soft targets at schools and religious institutions.

In the past, Buddhist monks have rarely been targeted.

Junta leader and prime minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha condemned the temple shootings.

“The prime Minister denounced such a brazen attack and instructed officials to investigate and find the assailants to punish them,” said government spokesman Buddhipongse Punnakanta.

Human Rights Watch said the “ghastly” assault on civilians in a place of worship amounted to a war crime.

Friday’s shooting came the same day as four security officials were wounded by two separate roadside bombs and an insurgent was shot dead in a clash near a school that sent students home for the day.

In a rare public statement dated January 4 the main Malay-Muslim rebel group — the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) — which has command and control over most of the insurgent foot soldiers, swore to “keep fighting.”

“Siam (Thailand) can’t hold out,” the BRN wrote, signing off with a warning: “Do not help and support Siam.”