Hanoi (VNA) – Four governmentsoldiers and four Maute group militants have been killed in a clash in thesouthern Philippines, the Philippine military said on March 15.

West Mindanao Command spokesperson GerryBesana said that the clash broke out around 5 pm local time on March 14 in atown in Lanao del Sur province.

The gunfight ensued for an hour and 30minutes, Besana said, adding that troops recovered a number of weapons. Inaddition, two other soldiers were injured.

The clash came only three days after armytroops also clashed with Maute fighters in Pagawayan town, also in Lanao delSur, leaving two Maute fighters and two soldiers dead, and a soldier wounded.

Head of the 103rd Infantry Brigade RomeoBrawner said that Abu Dar, the elusive leader of the Maute terror group, isbelieved to be among the fighters killed in the March 14 clash.

The Maute group was responsible formultiple attacks throughout the Philippines. The group, with the help of theAbu Sayyaf militants, attacked Marawi city in the southern Philippines in May2017.

The fight dragged on for five months,leaving more than 1,200 dead. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte imposedmartial law in the entire Mindanao a few hours after the May 2017 attack.

The Philippine congress has granted PresidentDuterte's three requests for martial law extension to quell the rebellion inthe southern region. Martial law remains in the region until December 31, 2019.-VNA