At least five Muslim guerrillas were killed in a clash with government troops in the southern Philippines, military officials said on Saturday. The clash came as troops stepped up their offensive against the Abu Sayyaf separatist guerrillas, who the United States has linked to the al Qaeda network. Eleven soldiers and an unknown number of rebels were injured in the three-hour gunbattle late on Friday on the mountainous jungle of Jolo island, about 600 miles south of Manila, said Lieutenant General Narciso Abaya.
This is kind of like going into the cabinets after the roaches, only the roaches are armed. |