An Army soldier was killed and eight others injured in the course of a gun-battle with Abu Sayyaf kidnappers on Jolo island in the southern Philippines, the military said.
An elite unit of US-trained counter-terrorism troops from the army's "light reaction company" clashed with several dozen Abu Sayyaf rebels near Indanan, military southern command chief Lieutenant General Narciso Abaya said, according to AFP Sunday.
"One soldier was confirmed dead," Abaya said. The number of rebel casualties was unknown.
Jolo army chief Colonel Alexander Aleo said troops were pursuing the fleeing rebels, adding the wounded had been flown to a military hospital in the port city of Zamboanga for medical treatment. (Albawaba.com)
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