Human Rights Watch, in London, said militants needed to stop targeting civilians in their bid to establish an independent state. "Insurgent groups are targeting civilians to show their power and highlight the Thai government's weakness," said Brad Adams, director of the Asia division at HRW.

"But it's illegal, and morally indefensible to attack civilians in pursuit of political goals."

HRW called on the government and militants to "institute concrete measures to protect civilians and immediately cease all attacks that do not discriminate between combatants and civilians".

They should also permit independent investigations into allegations of human rights abuses. "The failure to address human rights concerns adds to the growing hostility, making peaceful conflict resolution through dialogue an impossible goal."

HRW said Muslim families had been pressured to support insurgent activities, whether providing supplies and sanctuary, or giving up their children to the insurgents. "In response to insurgent attacks, the Thai authorities have carried out extra-judicial killings, 'disappearances', and arbitrary arrests," HRW said.

The organisation called on the government to "address abuses by its own forces and show good faith to the people trapped between violent and abusive insurgents and government forces".

"The new government must act quickly if it wants to win the trust of people in the South," Adams said.

Civilians - including government employees and local officials - have been the principal targets of daily attacks, making up 60 per cent (or 1,873) of the total victims, the rights group said.

This was followed by police (16 per cent, or 481), soldiers (12 per cent, or 373), and others (12 per cent, or 369), HRW said, quoting a study as saying most of the victims were Muslims.

Between the stated period, 924 Muslims were killed and 718 injured, compared with 697 Buddhists killed and 1,474 injured. The religion of the remaining victims was unknown, the group said.