5 killed in Philippines clash

Four Abu Sayyaf militants and a Filipino soldier were killed on Tuesday in a clash in the tourist island of Bohol.

The clash between the army, who have now received reinforcements from the Philippine Marines and Air Force, and the armed group was still underway, and the casualty might rise, said the Armed Forces in a statement.

The army had launched the operation after receiving reports about the presence of a dozen gunmen aboard three boats in a river near Inanbanga, north of Bohol, Efe news reported.

Philippine National Police Director General Ronald Dela Rosa confirmed the death of the soldier while Armed Forces spokesperson Restituto Padilla confirmed the death of the four militants.

The US Embassy in Manila this week had advised Americans living in the Philippines to refrain from travelling to Bohol, a popular tourist destination, where no terrorist activities had been reported so far.

--IANS

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