January 5, 2003	Sunday	Ziqa’ad 1, 1423

ZAMBOANGA, Jan 4: At least five Muslim guerrillas were killed in a clash with government troops in the southern Philippines, military officials said on Saturday.

The clash came as troops stepped up their offensive against the Abu Sayyaf separatist guerrillas. Eleven soldiers and an unknown number of rebels were injured in the three-hour gunbattle late on Friday on the mountainous jungle of Jolo island, about 800 kms south of Manila, said Lieutenant General Narciso Abaya.—Reuters