Philippine rebels, soldiers clash

Philippine rebels, soldiers clash

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AP): At least seven Muslim separatist rebels and one soldier were killed in a clash in the southern Philippines, the military said on Sunday.

One guerrilla from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front was also captured by soldiers in the clash on Saturday in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao province, triggered by a rebel ambush of a group of soldiers on patrol, the military said.

About 30 MILF guerrillas firing anti-tank rockets and machine guns fought for two hours with the soldiers, who were backed by armored vehicles, said Col. Fredesvindo Covarrubias, a spokesman for the military's Southern Command.

On Friday, government troops captured an MILF camp in a village in Banisilan, North Cotabato province, seizing radio communications equipment, weapons and ammunition, Covarubbias said. He said army soldiers had been deployed to pursue the rebels in a jungle. "There is no stopping. We will hunt these terrorists without letup," he said.