NARATHIWAT: Three men believed to be militants were killed in a shootout with security forces in Narathiwat, Thailand, on Friday.

In the incident at about 9 am (local time) on Friday, Narathiwat investigation police chief Col Pol Direk Shomyon said security forces surrounded several tents believed to be hiding places of a group of militants in the mountainous area of Si Sakhon district.

"When the security forces arrived, the group opened fire (at the security forces).

"The exchange of fire continued for almost an hour. When the situation calmed down, the security forces found three bodies at the scene while the others had escaped," he said.

He said the security forces also confiscated weapons and camping equipment belonging to the group.

-- BERNAMA