(UPDATE) Gov't troops clash with Abu Sayyaf in Sulu, 11 dead

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Xinhua) - Fierce fighting between government troops and Abu Sayyaf group erupted in the mountains of Sulu this morning, leaving 11 killed, including seven marines and four rebel militants, the authorities said here.

Reports from Western Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) disclosed that soldiers from the 2nd Marine Brigade, while in pursuit of the Abu Sayyaf group believed to be holding captive the wife of a marine soldier, encountered a large group of its members at about 6:30 a.m at Tugay, Patikul town in Sulu Province.

According to the military, in the ensuing fire-fighting that lasted more than one hour, seven Marine soldiers, including a lieutenant, and four Abu Sayyaf terrorists were killed, nine marines and 10 Abu Sayyaf members were wounded.

AFP spokesman Brigadier General Domingo Tutaan said that the terrorists fled after the fighting, but "the pursuit operations are ongoing right now...As we speak, the fighting has stopped and we are now on pursuit operations," he said.

The wounded soldiers were brought to the trauma hospital inside the Camp Teodulfo Bautista in Jolo, capital town of Sulu province, for treatment. However, the names of the fatalities from the marines were not made available as yet.

The Abu Sayyaf was founded in the 1990s and had since perpetrated a number of high-profile attacks, including kidnapping and bombing. Latest military estimate placed the strength of the Abu Sayyaf at about 300, mostly based in southern Philippine provinces of Sulu and Basilan.