Marines fending off a major militant assault on their base in Thailand's violent south killed 16 insurgents in an overnight shootout, authorities said Wednesday, Feb 13. It was the deadliest toll the Muslim guerrillas suffered since more than 100 died in a single day nearly a decade ago, The Associated Press reports.

About 50 militants wearing military-style uniforms attacked the marine corps base in Bacho district in Narathiwat province just after midnight Wednesday, said Capt. Somkiat Ponprayun, theprovincial marine corps special task force chief.

The shootout ended with 16 militants killed and the rest fleeing, Somkiat said. The death toll was reduced from the initial figure of 19 given out earlier Wednesday by regional army spokesman Col. Pramote Promin.

Somkiat said soldiers who fended off the attack suffered no casualties. He said the marines had been tipped off by the locals and warned of the assault.