2 killed in southern Thai gun attack; 4 Filipino soldiers hurt in gunfight with communist insurgents
And more in this latest weekly Southeast Asia armed conflict developments summary (19–25 May 2025).
Southeast Asia faced persistent insurgencies, terrorism threats, and digital radicalism, while regional states intensified countermeasures and diplomatic efforts to address internal conflicts and promote stability as shown in last week’s headlines.
In Thailand, the insurgency in the Deep South persisted, with two defence volunteers killed and two injured in a gun attack. The Thai defence minister warned of continued coup risks, while questions over the future of peace in the Deep South remained unresolved. Australia issued a travel warning advising citizens to avoid the restive southern region due to terrorism concerns.
In the Philippines, security forces continued counterinsurgency operations. A clash with communist insurgents left soldiers wounded, while multiple rebels surrendered. Authorities captured a key insurgent finance officer and seized arms caches in two provinces. The military aimed to dismantle communist forces in Eastern Mindanao by the third quarter of 2025. Efforts to reintegrate former rebels progressed, with thousands of amnesty applications processed. However, violence around the recent midterm elections and concerns over red-tagging and extrajudicial actions drew scrutiny. Meanwhile, efforts to sustain peace in Mindanao included community engagement, support for amnesty, and military-police collaboration during elections.
In Myanmar, conflict escalated further. A retired brigadier general was assassinated…