Ten Muslim militants and seven soldiers were killed yesterday in one of the bloodiest battles in the southern Philippines in recent months. Soldiers were approaching a known Abu Sayyaf hotbed on the island of Jolo when the fighting broke out. The Abu Sayyaf initially fired on the soldiers, killing an officer. Ten minutes later, six more soldiers were killed and many others injured when the Abu Sayyaf attacked them with mortar shells.
The fighting left a reported 10 Abu Sayyaf fighters dead, although only one body was recovered, and 24 soldiers injured, the military said. A military statement said, "The remaining troops are still in the area of operations while the casualties were evacuated."
The attack comes after the Abu Sayyaf suffered a series of setbacks including the capture last week of one of its leaders, Khair Mundos. Days later, two of his followers were also arrested.