ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - At least two Philippine government militiamen were killed and five others, including two insurgents, wounded when Philippine military troops encountered a heavily armed group linked with the Abu Sayyaf terrorists in southern Philippine province of Basilan.

The military said on Saturday that the fighting erupted at remote village of Sumisip on Friday when the government troops, backed by local militiamen, caught up with 15 gunmen.

Captain Jefferson Mamauag, spokesman for the 1st Division of the Philippine Army, said the troopers engaged the gunmen in more than half an hour firefight that left two militiamen killed and three others wounded.

Mamauag said the rebels retreated towards the jungle.

According to the military, they launched the operation following the information about the presence of the insurgents, who earlier threatened workers of a government water system project at Sumisip.

The slain government militiamen were brought to their respective families while those wounded were brought to the hospital in Basilan for treatment.