 Philippine troops clashed with Muslim militants in a southern city Tuesday, killing two guerrillas, including a local Abu Sayyaf commander suspected in a 2002 bombing that left a U.S. soldier dead, the army said. The firefight broke out east of Zamboanga, a city 530 miles south of Manila, after a military intelligence unit confronted a group of guerrillas led by Amilhamja Ajijul, army Col. Edgardo Gidaya said. Ajijul and another militant were wounded and later died in the hospital, he said. There were no reports of government casualties. Ajijul was allegedly involved in a series of bombings in Zamboanga, including a 2002 attack that killed two Filipinos and a U.S. soldier at a cafe, near where U.S. troops are stationed to provide counterterrorism training to Philippine soldiers.Gidaya said four other suspects were arrested and interrogated, and soldiers recovered two .45-caliber handguns, a machete, cell phones and documents. |