Bangkok: At least 90 militants and five security personnel were killed when ultras raided several police bases in the Muslim-dominated Southern Thailand early today (Apr 28, 2004), officials said.

The machete-wielding militants attacked more than 15 police outposts and district offices in Yala, Pattani and Songkhla provinces in the troubled region in a bid to steal weapons, officials said.

An official spokesman said that more than 90 militants, four policemen and a soldier were killed in the attack.

The attackers were mostly teenagers, he said, adding that the toll might go up, as security personnel were yet to clear the area.

The police were well prepared for the early morning attack after receiving tips about proposed militant attacks to rob weapons.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was quoted as saying that the toll among security forces was low because the attackers were only armed with machetes and a few guns.

This was the worst ever violence in the troubled South, which has witnessed almost continuous sporadic attacks since January this year.