2 die in attack in Thailand's Muslim south

By P.S. Waller

BANGKOK (AA) – Two men died in an explosion and gun attack in Thailand's insurgency-plagued south overnight as they travelled home from a mosque.

The Bangkok Post reported Sunday that the blast occurred at 1.00 a.m. (0600GMT) as Mahamayuding Pute and Assuwan Yuso were crossing a bridge over a canal in Bannang Sata in the southern part of Yala Province.

Yala is one of three provinces -- Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat -- wracked by an insurgency for more than 50 years, that has become one of the deadliest low-intensity conflicts on the planet.

Police said that a homemade bomb was detonated, after which an unknown number of attackers opened fire.

An initial report suggests the attack was coordinated by insurgents in the area looking to create further unrest.