Philippine troops, backed by bomber planes, killed 16 Muslim guerrillas linked to the al Qaeda network in three days of fighting on the southern island of Jolo, the Philippine military said today.
An undetermined number of Abu Sayyaf rebels were wounded while no government casualties were reported in a series of clashes which began on Friday and continued into today, regional military operations chief Colonel Roland Detabali said.
Jolo lies about 100 km southwest of Basilan island where other Abu Sayyaf units have been holding a US missionary couple hostage for more than eight months.
US Special Forces teams are due to be deployed on Basilan around the second week February to train local troops in fighting the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas.
The operation would mark a significant expansion of the United States' war on terror, after Afghanistan.