Six killed in Thai south in clashes and hijacking

Four suspected Muslim militants are killed in clashes with security forces in Thailand's rebellious south, while two soldiers die after a car struck a hijacked truck.

Four suspected Muslim militants were killed in clashes with security forces in Thailand's rebellious south on Wednesday, while two soldiers died after a car struck a hijacked truck, police said.

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The death toll has now exceeded 3,000 since the insurgency flared up again in 2004, although violence appears to have been on the decline in recent months.

The four suspected Muslim militants were killed in clashes with security forces in Yala Province, police said.

Earlier on Wednesday, two soldiers were killed when a car collided with a truck that had been hijacked by a suspected militant in Yala, police said.

Data from a prominent researcher showed violence in the predominantly Muslim region, an independent sultanate until annexed by mostly Buddhist Thailand a century ago, had fallen since more troops had been deployed the region after a new army chief took office in October.

Srisompob Jitpiromsri, head of the Deep South Watch think-tank in Pattani, said insurgency related deaths had fallen to 32 in April, compared with 35 in February and 65 in November 2007.

Nearly 800 people were killed in 2007, which also had the highest monthly total of 103 in May, he said.