Soldiers kill kidnappers in Philippines

Soldiers have killed at least nine members of a kidnapping gang that seized an Italian missionary and two Chinese engineers in the southern Philippines last year.

Two soldiers died and five others were wounded in the gun battle that erupted in Datu Piang town in Maguindanao province.

Troops went to the village of Kitango, part of Datu Piang, to pacify two feuding armed groups that have caused villagers to flee the area.

On arrival, the troops were fired upon by about 40 members of one group, identified as the Pentagon gang.

The other armed group belonged to the Muslim separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

He said the members of the MILF, which has signed a truce with the government as part of peace negotiations, and the Pentagon gang apparently fought over land in the area.

About 11 of the MILF gunmen later surrendered to the military, he said.

Air force bombers and rocket-firing helicopter gunships backed troops pursuing the gang members. Sporadic clashes have continued, but there were no new reports of casualties.

The government and the United States consider the Pentagon gang a terrorist group.

Soldiers, including some trained by US troops, are pursuing members of the Muslim extremist Abu Sayyaf group that held an American couple and a Filipino hostage for more than a year.