Philippine army: 10 dead in clashes with Islamic militants

MANILA: Philippine government forces fought hundreds of Islamic militants on two remote islands Thursday, with the military aircraft-backed campaign leaving up to 10 people dead, the army said.

The gun battles on the southern islands of Jolo and Basilan followed orders by new President Rodrigo Duterte for the security services to go after the Abu Sayyaf, which recently beheaded two foreign hostages and is also blamed for the worst terror attacks in Philippine history.