JAKARTA - A militant group Patani Union Liberation Organization (PULO), G5, has claimed responsibility for two explosions that occurred in Thailand's southern interior region on Friday, April 15 yesterday. As a result of the explosion in the Muslim-majority area, a civilian and injured three policemen.
This recognition was conveyed by the head of the Thai rebel group, Kasturi Mahkota, as reported by Antara from Reuters. The bombing violated an agreed agreement on a Ramadan truce between the main rebel group and the government.
Kasturi said the explosions in Pattani province were "common" for PULO, which was not involved in talks between the government and the National Revolutionary Front (BRN).
Please note, BRN agreed to stop violence during the holy month of Ramadan until May 14. The agreement was made two weeks ago.
A spokesman for Thailand's security forces in the south, Colonel Kiatisak Neewong, said without naming PULO, a group not included in the peace talks may be responsible for the bombing aimed at disrupting the Ramadan truce.
Thailand's negotiating team on peace talks and BRN declined to comment.
Kasturi's group rejected a deal that would rule out the possibility of independence from Thailand, a Buddhist-majority country.
"The talks were not inclusive enough and went too fast," Kasturi said.
The talks were held to seek a political solution to the decades-old conflict under Thailand's constitutional framework.
More than 7,300 people have died since 2004 in fighting between the government and shadowy groups seeking independence for the Malay-Muslim provinces of Narathiwat, Yala, Pattani and parts of Songkhla.
The area was part of the Patani sultanate which Thailand annexed in a 1909 treaty with Britain.
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