Marines killed by militants
At least seven marines and four Abu Sayyaf militants have been killed in a clash amid an offensive against al Qaida-linked gunmen accused of carrying out recent kidnappings in the country’s south, Philippine military officials said.
Military spokesman Brigadier General Domingo Tutaan said nine other marines and about 10 Abu Sayyaf fighters were wounded in the gun battle today in Tugas village in Sulu province’s coastal town of Patikul. Reinforcement troops, including policemen, were hunting down the gunmen in the jungle.
