BANGKOK, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Four defense volunteers were shot dead by insurgents disguised as rangers in a school in southern Thailand on Thursday, police said.
The four victims, in their 30s, were guarding the school in Pattani province when the gun attack happened. Attackers in army uniforms pretended to be rangers visiting the school before they opened fire, according to police.
Gunshots were heard when classes were in session. No teachers or students were injured, according to witnesses.
The four volunteers were killed on the spot, with their rifles stolen. The insurgents left road spikes behind to halt authorities' hunt, according to police.
Police said they've set up checkpoints across the district to intercept the perpetrators.
Pattani has eyed the second attack in a week. Two days ago, a 12-year-old girl was injured by a bomb on her way to school, not far from where the gun attack happened on Thursday.
Pattani, along with Yala and Narathiwat, are the three southernmost provinces that were haunted by gun attacks and bombings launched by separatist insurgents. More than 7,000 people have been killed since 2004.
