Several soldiers, civilians and Abu Sayyaf rebels were killed Saturday as the guerrilla group took 200 people hostage at a hospital and church in the southern Philippines, local officials said.
Heavy fighting was raging in the predominantly-Christian town of Lamitan on Basilan island.
The town's mayor Inocente Ramos and area councillor Bidong Israel told a local radio station in Zamboanga city there had been "several killed" on both sides.
"The main business district of Lamitan looks like a battleground," Israel said.
Armed Forces spokesman Brigadier General Edilberto Adan Adan confirmed "there was lot of fighting around right now" and "we have enough forces in the area to neutralise the terrorists (Abu Sayyaf)." He did not verify the hostage-taking.
Radio reports said at least 12 soldiers were seen being taken to hospital.
Police said they recovered the body of a Abu Sayyaf commander identified as "Commander Yusof" from the scene.
Two MG520 fighter helicopters flew out of the Edwin Andrew airforce base to Lamitan to give air cover to troops fighting the guerillas, who took over the hospital filled with patients and the church just before dawn Saturday, sources said.
The rebels have warned they would blow up the two buildings if the military did not stop its assault against the guerillas, who are on the run with three American and 17 Filipino hostages they took from a resort off the western island of Palawan last Sunday.
(China Daily 06/02/2001)
