The death toll in unabated strife in Thailand's deep South has surpassed 1,000 with more than 1,500 wounded since January last year, the official Thai News Agency (TNA) reported Monday.

At least 1,037 people have been killed in the insurgency-related violence in the three southernmost provinces of Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani over the past 20 months, including at least 369 victims this year, officials from the Royal Thai Police and the Ministry of Interior's Department of Provincial Administration was quoted as saying.

They said altogether 826 people were injured last year and 725 have been wounded so far this year, contributing to a total of 1,550 non-fatal casualties since the separatist movement was flared up in early 2004.

Police, soldiers, school teachers, Buddhist monks even innocent villagers all suffered from the brazen killings.

Besides, an increase in the number of bomb attacks has resulted in more injuries this year, said police.

The government's high-handed southern policy has been widely blamed to have fueled the insurgency.

Some experts said the new report showed violence and death has accelerated after Thai government adopted the emergency act, replacing the martial law this July.

They warned that the loss of lives would continue if the government failed to protect local people.

Source: Xinhua