Manila, Nov 14 (IANS): At least five government soldiers and four Abu Sayyaf members were killed in a fierce firefight in the southern Philippine province of Sulu Friday afternoon.

"It's a major encounter and we suffered five KIA (killed in action)," said Allan Arrojado, commander of the military's Joint Task Group Sulu.

He said 26 other soldiers were wounded, but most of them suffered only minor injuries, according to Xinhua.

Arrojado said the soldiers were on a law enforcement operation in Talipao town when they engaged Abu Sayyaf militants around 1.50 p.m.

He said at least four Abu Sayyaf militants were killed in the firefight, based on intelligence information gathered.

The military official said the army was in pursuit of the fleeing Abu Sayyaf militants.

The Abu Sayyaf is a terrorist group founded in the 1990s and has perpetrated a number of high profile attacks, including kidnapping, bombing and beheading. The Philippine military estimates the group, which has links with external terrorist organisations such as Al Qaeda, has less than 400 members.