By DPA
Zamboanga City (The Philippines) : Five soldiers and four Muslim militants were killed Friday in a clash on a southern Philippine island, the military said.
The fighting erupted at dawn when government troops encountered a group of rebels in the town of Kalinggalang Caluang on Jolo island, 1,000 km south of Manila.
Major General Nelson Allaga said more troops have been dispatched to the area to pursue the gunmen, who were rebels of Abu Sayyaf and Moro National Liberation Front groups.
He said eight marines were also wounded in the fighting.
Thousands of troops have been deployed in Jolo since August last year to neutralize the Al Qaeda linked Abu Sayyaf rebels and their allies.