Soldier killed in heavy exchange of fire between military, Abu Sayyaf

One soldier was killed during an encounter between the government troops and about 100 suspected Abu Sayyaf militants in the southern Philippines, the military said Wednesday.

The military's counter-terrorism task force commander Brig. Gen. Alexander Aleo told reporters that the heavy fire was exchanged after the soldiers ran into the Abu Sayyaf group in the mountains of Jolo Island.

Although losing a soldier, the government troops also gave a big blow to the Abu Sayyaf group by killing an unknown number of rebels, he said.

According to the military, five soldiers have been killed and 25 others wounded since the government troops and the Abu Sayyaf began a new round of clashes in the south.

An estimated 25 rebels have also been killed, and almost 5,000 residents in the area were forced to flee their homes as a result of the clashes, it added.

The Abu Sayyaf, which is suspected of links with al-Qaida terrorist network and the regional terrorist network Jemaah Islamiah, has been blamed for a wave of bombings in the south and Manila since 2002.

Source: Xinhua