Muslim extremists kill 2 soldiers in Basilan

COTABATO, Philippines (Xinhua) - Muslim extremists linked to Al Qaeda killed at least two soldiers in an ambush yesterday in the restive province of Basilan.

Regional military spokesman Col. Rodrigo Gregorio said today members of Abu Sayyaf militants killed Sgt. Richard Hamin and Private First Class Julieto Tanses in an attacked around 1:00 p.m. in the village of Ubit in Lamitan City.

Gregorio said the two soldiers, both under 32nd Infantry Battalion died of multiple wounds.

"They were heading back to their camp when they were ambushed," he said.

The Abu Sayyaf, active in southern Philippines, was founded in the 1990s and has perpetrated a number of high-profile attacks, including kidnapping, bombing and beheading.