<p>The clashes erupted on Wednesday when government troops swooped down on a training camp of Abu Sayyaf rebels in Ungkaya Pukan town in Basilan province, 900 km south of Manila.<br /><br />Major General Ben Dolorfino, a regional military commander, said most of the slain soldiers were killed by sniper fire. "More than 20 Abu Sayyaf rebels were also killed in the fighting," he said.<br /><br />Dolorfino said soldiers overran the training camp and seized 13 high-powered firearms and dozens of improvised bombs that were already rigged to explode.<br /><br />The Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf rebels have been blamed for some of the worst terrorist attacks in the Philippines. They have also been behind high-profile kidnappings in the country.</p>
<p>The clashes erupted on Wednesday when government troops swooped down on a training camp of Abu Sayyaf rebels in Ungkaya Pukan town in Basilan province, 900 km south of Manila.<br /><br />Major General Ben Dolorfino, a regional military commander, said most of the slain soldiers were killed by sniper fire. "More than 20 Abu Sayyaf rebels were also killed in the fighting," he said.<br /><br />Dolorfino said soldiers overran the training camp and seized 13 high-powered firearms and dozens of improvised bombs that were already rigged to explode.<br /><br />The Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf rebels have been blamed for some of the worst terrorist attacks in the Philippines. They have also been behind high-profile kidnappings in the country.</p>