The Philippine military says three soldiers have been killed and 17 wounded in nearly two hours of fighting against about 150 Muslim militants in the south.
Regional military spokesman Maj. Filemon Tan says Abu Sayyaf gunmen withdrew after the fierce clash yesterday in the mountains of Patikul town in Sulu province, and are being pursued by government forces. He says an unspecified number of militants were either wounded or killed.
Tan said today the militants were led by Radulan Sahiron, a one-armed commander long wanted by the US and Philippine governments for his alleged role in kidnappings for ransom and other acts.
Malaysian forces killed three Abu Sayyaf gunmen and captured two others in a failed kidnapping attempt in Malaysia's Sabah state near the southern Philippines on Thursday.
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