The Religion of Peace™ continued rampaging in southern Thailand today, killing innocent civilians and setting fire to schools, homes, and health offices—and Agence France Presse still won’t use the T word: Four killed in Thai south.

NARATHIWAT, Thailand (AFP) - Separatist militants have killed four people in attacks across Thailand’s restive south, police said Monday, while five schools were set ablaze in the region.

One army ranger and one militant were killed in Narathiwat province late Sunday when Islamic insurgents raided an army base.

Local police said about 10 militants opened fire on the base where 100 policemen and soldiers were stationed. Three policemen were also injured in the 20-minute firefight between the two sides. All the militants escaped and took the body of the dead insurgent with them, police said.

On Monday in nearby Yala province, a Muslim district mayor was shot dead in front of his house by suspected militants. Another Muslim man was killed in a drive-by shooting in front of a tea shop two kilometres (1.2 miles) away.

Five schools, one health office and a teacher’s house were also set on fire in Pattani province. No one was injured.

Militants, who are battling for a separate Muslim state in Thailand’s southernmost region, frequently stage arson attacks on schools, which are seen as representing the central Buddhist state.