DHAKA: United States-trained army commandos on Thursday killed 14 militants belonging to the Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group in the first major battle this year on a remote southern island, as the Philippines stepped up efforts to rescue foreign hostages.

The Abu Sayyaf is the smallest but most deadly of several Muslim groups fighting for independence in the south of the Roman Catholic country. It is estimated to have about 500 hard-core followers based mostly on Basilan and Jolo.

It has links with Jemaah Islamiah, a pan-Asian radical Muslim group blamed for attacks in Indonesia, including the 2002 Bali bombings and two Jakarta hotel bombings last month.

Troops used artillery and air strikes to hit the positions of about 300 Muslim rebels, who are holding three foreign captives, including a Malaysian and European, outside Patikul town, military spokesman Colonel Restituto Padilla said.

‘Our troops are trying to box in the Abu Sayyaf rebels for a decisive battle,’ Col Padilla said, adding infantry and marine units have been positioned as containment forces to prevent militants from escaping the Patikul jungles, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 1300 HRS, FEB 26, 2015