(UPDATE) 4 Soldiers, 40 rebels killed in Maguindanao fighting

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines (Xinhua) - Some 40 Islamist rebels from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and four army soldiers, including a captain, were killed in intense fighting as the Philippine Army continued its all-out-offensive in Maguindanao, a military official said today.

Philippine Army Captain Joan Petinglay, spokesman for the Philippine Army's 6th Division, said the latest casualties from both the Philippine Army and the BIFF began occurring on Saturday as a law enforcement operation against the rebels continued around the borders of Mamasapano, Datu Piang and Shariff Saydona Mustapha towns.

Four Philippine Army soldiers, including Elite Scout Ranger Captain Gromel Auman of the 33rd Infantry Battalion, were killed.   

"Four of the enemy bodies were recovered by our troops in the village of Pusao in Mamasapano. One of them was clad in uniform of Philippine Police Special Action Force (SAF)," Petinglay said.   

"We believed there were also wounded on the side of the rebels because we have used howitzers against them,"she added.

Troops have recovered one M-60 machinegun; two M14 rifles, a grenade; two pairs of binoculars and assorted ammunition.

The BIFF is the armed wing of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement which broke away from the The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the largest Muslim rebel force in the southern Philippines, in 2010 because of disagreements over the peace talks with the government.