(AP)
Updated: 2007-08-10 10:05

MANILA, Philippines -- Suspected militants from the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group ambushed a troops truck Thursday and later battled pursuing soldiers, killing 19 soldiers and wounding 12 others, the Philippine military said.

The insurgents killed nine soldiers before fleeing the second major attack on government troops in recent weeks, said Maj. Eugene Batara, spokesman for the military's Western Mindanao Command.

Troops from the same unit pursuing the militants came upon a bigger insurgent group, sparking a firefight that left 10 soldiers dead and 10 wounded, said Army Col. Antonio Supnet.

The body of one militant was recovered, and pockets of fighting continued into the night.

Batara said the earlier ambush was not an indication that the Abu Sayyaf has regained strength following setbacks dealt by a massive U.S.-backed offensive last year that led to the killing of its top two leaders, including Khaddafy Janjalani.

"They've been attacking our soldiers when they're not in battle mode," Batara told The Associated Press by telephone from the regional military headquarters in southern Zamboanga city.

"They could not fight frontally. They're treacherous," he said.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres said about 100 insurgents were behind the Jolo attack and appeared to have been led by Radulan Sahiron, an elusive one-armed Abu Sayyaf commander long wanted by U.S. and Philippine authorities for his alleged role in several terror attacks.

The military estimates that the Abu Sayyaf, which has been blamed for deadly bombings and high-profile ransom kidnappings and is on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations, has about 300-400 guerrillas, down from more than 1,000 militants during its heyday in early 2000.