At least five Abu Sayyaf bandits were killed in a fierce firefight in Patikul town early morning Thursday, the military said. The clash was the second recent incident of violence in the province as people displaced by previous clash have started to return to their homes. Five bandits were also killed while two soldiers wounded during an encounter in Parang town Tuesday.Southern Command chief Lieutenant General Alberto Braganza said soldiers were patrolling Barangay (village) Danag around 6:30 a.m. on Thursday when they chanced upon a still undetermined number of bandits. Braganza said that soldiers counted five dead bandits during the firefight, but he said only one cadaver has been recovered so far. "They brought with them the bodies of their other slain comrades," he said. No soldier has been reported hurt, he said.