Malaysia has launched a major military and police operation near the Thai border after unconfirmed sightings of armed men in the area, Deputy Defence Minister Shafie Apdal said today.

The sweep in northern Kedah state came as Malaysia and Thailand also began joint border patrols Tuesday after deadly attacks in southern Thailand last week left six people dead, Shafie told AFP .

"Troops from Malaysia and Thailand have begun joint land and air patrols codenamed 'Operation Goodwill'," he said.

Shafie gave no details of the Kedah operation but urged locals not to be alarmed by the presence of police and soldiers around Padang Terap north of the Kedah state capital Alor Setar.

"We are taking the necessary measures to ensure security. The public are advised to report to the police or military if they sight any suspicious people," he said.

Monitoring all areas

The joint patrols with Thailand were originally planned for early March but were brought forward following attacks in Thailand's Narathiwat province that left four soldiers and two policemen dead and schools torched.

"We are monitoring all the areas close to the site of the attacks in Thailand," Shafie said.

The Thai government has made conflicting statements over who may be responsible for the attacks, blaming bandits, separatist groups and Islamic militants.

The five majority-Muslim provinces in southern Thailand, bordering mainly-Muslim Malaysia, have seen a spate of violent attacks against police and the military, including the killings of 20 people since April 2003. - AFP