Thai forces have nothing to do with mosque massacre : Gen Anupong

Anupong said, "I condemn the group that has perpetrated this act of violence."

Anupong said the attack which killed 11 Thai Muslims who were praying in the mosque was the works of insurgents.

The general was speaking during his visit to Narathiwat's Joh I Rong district on Tuesday where masked gunmen stormed the mosque and sprayed worshippers with bullets during evening prayers.

A group of assailants, wearing masks stormed into a mosque and opened on about 100 Thai Muslims who were attending evening prayers in the mosque, killing ten on the spot.

Another person died in hospital.

Anupong said the insurgents were trying to pass the blame on the authorities for the "barbaric act."

He was responding to reports that local villagers blamed the Thai forces for the massacre which is one of the worst attacks in many years.

"They simply want to raise this issue to a level of international concern by making it like state authorities are violently suppressing on villagers. They want to create climate of fear."