Marines kill 16 in South | Bangkok Post: news

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16 gunmen killed in Thai military base attack

Published: 13 Feb 2013 at 07.44
Online news: Local News

In one of the most deadly attacks in Thailand's long-running insurgency, scores of heavily-armed gunmen stormed a southern army base Wednesday, authorities said, leaving 16 militants dead.

In the unusually brazen early-morning assault, 100 militants, dressed in army fatigues and armed with AK47 and M16 assault rifles, attacked the base in Narathiwat province, unit commander Captain Somkiat Pholprayoon said.

"Sixteen militants were confirmed dead after the attack," he told reporters at the scene, adding that the military and police were in "hot pursuit" of the 60 to 70 militants who fled the base after the attack.

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beer_sing
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Discussion 12 : 13 Feb 2013 at 10.2112
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Well done marine!...now more worrying is the boldness of the militant ability to conduct such an operation with group as big as 100 men. Has their ability to recruit grown that successful lately?
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Eric
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Discussion 11 : 13 Feb 2013 at 10.0111
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Every battle or conflict has a changing tide that would have big consequence to the eventual outcome. With the taking off more innocent civilian lives both Buddhists and Muslim, disruption of their normal and working lifeand deteriorating quality of life, the insurgents may have lost some support from their sympathizers which the military is tapping for intelligence. This is a major battle and big morale boaster for the military after so many set backs. If any negotiation,, it must be held when you at power of strength and it could be nearer than we thought.
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pquinlan
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Discussion 10 : 13 Feb 2013 at 09.5610
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No mention of any captured?
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spiceman
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Discussion 9 : 13 Feb 2013 at 09.129
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The next hurdle to be overcome is how to counter the murderous IEDs, and for that, we need to put our newly acquired Aerostar drones from Israel to good use. That's how the US solved their IEDs' problem in Iraq and Afghanistan. Anyone found digging up the roads in the middle of the night will be pulverized by laser-guided missiles launched from the drones. Let makes IED planters an endangered species!
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nui
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Discussion 8 : 13 Feb 2013 at 08.578
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Spiceman : You are exactly right. We had military training and intelligence camps in the jungles of South Thailand and the military was able to keep peace for a long time. All this was closed down by TS against the will and recommendations of the military at that time. Now we have another expert who wants to put his will on military and on the people of the South.
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pointman-1
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Discussion 7 : 13 Feb 2013 at 08.507
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Very impressive. What an outstanding job by the Thai Military. I commend Thai military leaders for being ready for the attack.
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ploydonut
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Discussion 6 : 13 Feb 2013 at 08.486
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The Thai soldier are the best in the world, and risk their life everyday.
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spiceman
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Discussion 5 : 13 Feb 2013 at 08.405
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Please, don't tell anybody how the crucial INTEL has been obtained. Keep them guessing. The Israeli once recruited a spy within the top leadership of Hamas, and they did whatever it took to protect his identity for 10 years, until the guy quitted and fled the country for good. The War on Terror will be won or lost on intelligent warfare, and I hope the Military learn the trade fast. This was exactly how we won and kept the peace in the Deep South for a long time, through the Independent Intel Agency, until TS abolished it and all hells broke loose shortly afterward.
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nui
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Discussion 4 : 13 Feb 2013 at 08.404
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Since this government came into power, violence in Thailand's Deep South has become worse and it has resulted in the deaths of so many innocent people. The man in charge for protecting the people in the South seems to have no idea how to handle this situation and should resign. We do not need Merlot experts, who have never been in the South and who do not understand the situation there.
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Worzel
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Discussion 3 : 13 Feb 2013 at 08.243
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It shows that covert intelligence efforts can yield results. Whilst we don't need drones to achieve a result like this it would have been good to heat track the remaining 83 to where thy fled to.

Well done to these marines and their commander for their performance under fire by numerically superior forces.
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