Fearing revenge attacks, army pours troops into south Thailand
"It is the beginning of the people's war," prominent Islamic preacher Vithaya Visetrat said.
Defence minister Chettha Thanajaro warned that militants who survived bloody clashes with security forces yesterday could be "waiting for the right time for revenge" and might launch "second and third waves" of violence.
The minister sent two additional battalions to the southern provinces.
However, facing accusations of excessive force, the government took away the command of a top general who used rocket-propelled grenades to attack a mosque, killing 32 people some of them allegedly civilians.
General Panlop Pinmanee, relieved of his command yesterday, told reporters he had "no choice" but to attack the mosque.
However, he acknowledged it was "a mistake" that "may have hurt the feelings of our Muslim brothers."
The toll from the fighting rose to 113 killed after a suspected Islamic fighter died of his wounds, bringing to 108 the number of militants killed in the fighting, officials said.
But residents of the region said some of the victims were innocent civilians caught up in the mayhem when security forces opened fire on militants most of them teenagers wielding machetes when they raided police and army posts in a bid to steal weapons.
Only three police officers and two soldiers died. The government forces had been tipped off about the attacks.
Officials have blamed the escalation of violence in southern Thailand since early this year on Islamic separatists, who have launched daily attacks killing policemen, teachers and officials from the Buddhist-dominated government.
Residents said that 18 of the victims in Songkhla province's Thankiri village were unarmed soccer players who were riding on motorcycles when they were killed.
Residents were also outraged that security forces stormed the Kreu-Sae mosque in Pattani, killing 32 people.
Human Rights Watch urged the Thai government to investigate what it said appeared to be "disproportionate" force.
