Two Philippine soldiers killed in clash with Abu Sayyaf

Two army soldiers were killed and eight others wounded following renewed fighting between government security forces and Abu Sayyaf rebels erupted in southern Philippine island of Sulu Wednesday.

The clash occurred 7:30 a.m. in Patikul town, as troops intensified their hunt for Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) bombers Dulmatin and Omar Patek, Philippine military chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr said.

Rebel casualties were undetermined, Esperon said.

The clash came less than 24 hours after two explosions rocked Mindanao on Tuesday, leaving at least six people killed and over 30 others injured.

Esperon earlier blamed the incidents on the Abu Sayyaf and the JI.

The explosions came on the same day the U.S. and the Australian governments issued travel advisories warning their citizens against going to southern Philippines.

In a statement posted on its website, the U.S. Embassy in Manila said it received "credible information" of an imminent attack in central Mindanao "over the next several days."

Source: Xinhua