DNA tests on the 16 militants killed during Wdnesday's attack on a marine base in Narathiwat had so far confirmed five of them had been previously involved in terrorist activities, forensic scientist Khunying Pornthip Rojanasunant said on Thursday.
Khunying Pornthip, director of the Central Institute of Forensic Science (CIFS), said the DNA of five of the 16 killed matched samples collected at the scene of previous violence.
The results of the DNA test on all of 16 killed would be compared with DNA records collected from weapons, ammunition, grenades and other evidence.
Some of the weapons seized after the failed attack on Feb 13 were found to have been stolen from Pileng camp in Narathiwat in 2004, and Narathiwat Task Force 38 headquarters in 2011, she said.
The CIFS director said it would take another week or so to complete DNA tests on all those killed and the seized equipment.
This could lead to the identification of the number and identities of surviving militants who fled after the attack, she said.