MANILA (BNO NEWS) — Three suspected militants were killed on Sunday during a clash with government troops in the southern region of the Philippines, the army chief said.

The fighting erupted when troops encountered about 20 members of the Abu Sayyaf militant group in Etub-etub village in the town of Sumisip in Basilan province, ABS-CBN news reported.

Army chief Lieutenant General Arturo Ortiz said one soldier suffered from a fractured limb during the clash, while three militants were killed. He added that the troops were able to recover two assault rifles from the rebels.

The al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf is a band of self-styled Islamists who have been blamed for some of the worst terrorist attacks in the Philippines and high-profile kidnappings involving foreign hostages.

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