Zamboanga City, Philippines  - Five soldiers and 12 Muslim rebels were killed in separate clashes in the southern Philippines, a regional military spokeswoman said Monday.

Fighting broke out Sunday between government troops and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters, backed by al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf rebels in Albarka town, Basilan province, 900 kilometres south of Manila.

Zamboanga City, Philippines - Islamic militants freed a kidnapped humanitarian worker after holding her hostage for two months in the southern Philippines, police said Saturday.

Millet Mendoza was among five workers of non-governmental organizations abducted September 15 by Muslim Abu Sayyaf rebels in Basilan province, 900 kilometres south of Manila.

The other hostages, including the programme coordinator of an NGO serving poor communities in Basilan, were freed separately ahead of Mendoza.

Zamboanga City, Philippines - Two people were killed in a clash between government troops and communist rebels in the southern Philippines, the military said Tuesday.

Major General Jogy Leo Fojas, an army division chief, said the firefight occurred on Monday in Laak town in Compostela Valley province, 930 kilometres south of Manila.

He said the soldiers encountered about 50 communist guerrillas while they were searching for a junior army officer believed abducted by the rebels last week.

One communist rebel and one government militiaman were killed in the two-hour fighting, Fojas said.

Zamboanga City, Philippines - Two people were killed in a clash between government troops and communist rebels in the southern Philippines, the military said Tuesday.

Major General Jogy Leo Fojas, an army division chief, said the firefight occurred on Monday in Laak town in Compostela Valley province, 930 kilometres south of Manila.

He said the soldiers encountered about 50 communist guerrillas while they were searching for a junior army officer believed abducted by the rebels last week.

Zamboanga City, Philippines  - Three soldiers were killed and an army officer was missing in a clash with communist rebels in the southern Philippines, a regional army spokesman said Saturday.

Lieutenant Colonel Kurt Decapia said the fighting erupted Friday when army special forces raided an encampment of communist rebels in Monkayo town in Compostela Valley province, 930 kilometres south of Manila.

Zamboanga City, Philippines - Government troops captured two local communist rebel leaders and overran a guerrilla camp in the southern Philippines, a regional army chief said Wednesday.

Major General Jogi Leo Fojas said the two rebel commanders were captured Monday during a raid on a guerrilla redoubt in Santa Cruz town in Davao del Sur province, 990 kilometres south of Manila.

Fojas said the soldiers seized the guerrilla encampment after 30 minutes of firefight.

The two captured guerrillas were undergoing tactical interrogation in a nearby army headquarters, according to Fojas.