Three insurgents on Tuesday were killed and three soldiers wounded when paramilitary rangers clashed with militants in the restive southern province of Pattani, the Thai News Agency reported.

The firefight took place as a group of ten government soldiers and paramilitary rangers were building a roadside checkpoint for a village defense unit in Panare district when seven armed men in a pickup truck began shooting at them.

The exchange of fire lasted about 30 minutes.

Two gunmen were killed instantly at the first clash site. The soldiers followed the assailants who fled in separate directions. A third attacker was shot dead in a clash during the pursuit, while the other four men escaped.

Three security personnel were wounded, including two rangers -- Dokaor Saengsan, 24, and Dennopporn Chanwanna, 24 -- and the village protection unit head, Prasong Raktre, aged 52.

The dead insurgent was identified as Jehrosalun Jehuma, 27, while the other two, estimated at about 25 years old, are as yet identified.

M16 assault rifles with fully-loaded ammunition clips were found near their bodies.

The initial investigation found that security personnel were aware of a possible attack targeting village head Vorakit Nisorn, whose home is located near the clash sites and for that reason the authorities had deployed security forces in the area before the incident took place.

Police also found the pickup truck used by the assailants. It contained a cooking gas cylinder with electric wiring, but no explosive powder was found.

The police are investigating.

Since the resurgence of insurgency in 2004, around 11,000 violent incidents instigated by secessionists in the Muslim- dominant southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat happened, with almost 5,000 people killed and nearly 8,000 injured.