MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine military says members of a breakaway Muslim guerrilla faction have attacked government troops, triggering a firefight that killed two soldiers and five guerrillas as negotiators from the government and the main rebel group were holding talks in Malaysia.
Regional military spokesman Col. Dickson Hermoso says about 20 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters ambushed soldiers on a military truck early Saturday in southern Maguindanao province's Guindulungan township.
Hermoso says the firefight that erupted lasted about 15 minutes before the guerrillas withdrew with troops in pursuit.
The military says the same group launched attacks last week to undermine the peace talks. Five soldiers and at least 25 guerrillas were killed then.
Malaysia is brokering the negotiations to end the decades-long rebellion led by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.