| A Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebel and his wife were killed during an encounter on Wednesday at a village in the southern Philippine city of Tagum, the military said on Thursday. The killed was identified as Bakar Jafal Ali and his wife Carmelita, the local military official Lieutenant Colonel Agane Adriatico said in a statement. Adriatico said soldiers belonging to a local infantry brigade were conducting a combat patrol around early Wednesday when they chanced upon more than 25 heavily armed MILF rebels. A firefight, which lasted for 10 minutes ensued. No casualty was reported on the government side. |