Southern civil society groups have condemned the killing of civilians in the deep south and urged the Thai authorities to bring those responsible to justice.

The Buddhist Network for Peace (BP) and Association of Women for Peace (We Peace), civil society organisations which promote peace and reconciliation in the restive south of Thailand, on Monday issued statements urging militant groups in the region to stop targeting civilians and not to use violence.

The statements from the two organisations were issued after unknown militants shot dead two Buddhist villagers who were in a pickup truck on Monday around 5 pm in near Tan Yong Village of Bannang Sata District of the southern province of Yala and set fire to the vehicle.

In the statements, the two organizations condemned the incident as a barbaric act of violence that prolongs the cycle of violence in the region, which continues to deter the peace and reconciliation process.

Civil society organisations, human rights defenders, and others should express their condemnation of the act, the statements added.

Moreover, the relevant state agencies must bring those who are responsible for the killings to justice as soon as possible, the two civil groups urged.