BANGKOK, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- A village head and a defense volunteer were killed in southern Thailand's province of Yala Monday morning, according to local media.

    Police were quoted by local newspaper the Nation's website as saying that the two were traveling to attend a monthly meeting of village heads at the Yaha district office when they were asked to stop by assailants who opened fire at them and fled the scene.

    The shooting occurred at 09:15 a.m. local time. The village head was identified as Binsoh Masae, 36 and the defense volunteer as Ari Same, 36.

    More than 2,600 people have been killed in the ongoing insurgency in Thailand's three provinces of Pattani, Yala and Pattani since January 2004.