Bomb kills 7 soldiers in South

(BangkokPost.com, Agencies) - Seven soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb on Friday in one of the deadliest attacks against security forces this year in the deep South.

The soldiers, part of a squad providing security for teachers and students, were heading to Bannang Sata district of Yala when insurgents detonated a bomb near their vehicle at around 8am, police said.

"Seven soldiers were killed and one injured. They were the security team for local teachers," said local police commander Colonel Aniruth Im-arb.

Police said the attack took place when insurgents opened fire onto 10 soldiers on patrol, wounding one of them. Another group of soldiers responding to the scene were then blasted on their way to help the first group.

The attack followed Thursday's violence in the region where three government local leaders, all Muslims, were killed when insurgents fired into their car in Pattani.