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Six militants killed in clash in S. Philippines

Xinhua, August 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

Six members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) were killed and 14 government soldiers were wounded in a firefight in southern Philippines, according to the military on Friday.

Citing initial reports, Maj. Filemon Tan, spokesman of the military's Western Mindanao Command, said troops from the Army's 4th Scout Ranger Battalion were on a combat operation when they caught up with around 100 Abu Sayyaf militants at the vicinity of Bunkaong village, Patikul town in Sulu province at about 6:12 a.m..

He said the militants withdrew toward the west direction, 45 minutes after the encounter. Tan said soldiers from the same Army battalion have been directed to conduct "pursuit and clearing operations."

According to Tan, 14 soldiers were wounded in the combat while 6 militants were killed.

The Slain militants were involved in the abduction of 4 kidnap victims from Samal last September. Two of the Canadians victims John Ridsdel and Robert Hall were beheaded months ago by ASG. The other Samal captive Maritess Flor was released while Norwegian Kjartan Sikkengstad is still with the ASG.

The 400-strong Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), founded in the early 1990s by Islamic extremists, is a violent Muslim terrorist group operating in the southern Philippines. The ASG is notorious for a series of kidnappings, bombings and even beheadings in southern Philippines over the past decades. Endit