Bomb attacks, arson hit southern Thailand city

Bangkok: A series of bomb and arson attacks believed to be carried out by Muslim insurgents rocked a provincial capital in southern Thailand early Wednesday, police said.

Three bombs exploded and at least four buildings were torched before dawn in the capital of Yala, one of three provinces in the country's deep south plagued by a separatist insurgency that has killed more than 3,400 people since 2004, police said.

In a report submitted to reporters police cited no casualties.

The bombs exploded next to a car showroom, in front of a bank and next to a hotel, while a warehouse and several stores were burned, the report said.

A pro-independence movement has long existed in the predominantly Muslim provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, turning violent in 2004 after a period of relative peace.