Philippine Soldiers Clash With Islamic Militants

Two Philippine Marines were killed and 11 other members of the military unit wounded in a clash with Islamic militants on the southern Philippine island of Jolo, the military said.Philippine soldiers are deployed to hunt down militants on JoloThe unit was attacked near the town of Patikul on Monday as government forces mounted a sweep for the Abu Sayyaf, designated by the US government as a terrorist organisation and blamed for kidnappings and bombings in the southern Philippines. "We suffered two killed and 11 wounded but the Marines also inflicted heavy casualties," said Brigadier General Alexander Aleo, commander of an anti-terrorism task force in the south. He did not elaborate. The soldiers clashed with an Abu Sayyaf group of about 50 gunmen some 11 hours into the tropical jungle sortie, Aleo said. Military helicopters plucked the casualties from the combat zone. The fresh fighting raised the government toll to nine soldiers killed and 38 wounded since the military began the Jolo offensive on November 11.