12 soldiers die in clash with Islamist militants in the Philippine south
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MANILA- Twelve soldiers, including a young lieutenant, were killed in a clash with Islamic State-linked rebels on a remote southern island in the Philippines, an army spokesman said on Monday as the army offensive entered its fifth day.
Major Filemon Tan said five soldiers were also wounded in an 1-1/2 hour firefight in the jungles of Patikul town on Jolo island as troops pursued a large formation of the small but brutal Abu Sayyaf group.
"The fighting was really intense, we lost 12 men," Tan said. "You can really expect heavy casualty from both sides due to volume of fire from both sides. We don't know how many from the enemy died but there could be more than 30 rebels."
