An unidentified gunman killed nine soldiers and one civilian in a rampage inside a patrol base in the southern Philippines today.
It was unclear if the gunman was a soldier or whether he was killed in the pre-dawn shoot-out on the island of Jolo.
Since August, nearly 10,000 soldiers have been battling the Philippines' deadliest Muslim rebel group, the Abu Sayyaf, in fierce clashes on Jolo, an island around 950 km south of Manila.
The ground offensive has been the most successful yet against Abu Sayyaf. Around 70 militants, including the group's top two leaders, have been killed out of a 400-strong outfit.
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Dozens of troops have also been killed and more than 100 wounded in the fighting, which has also displaced thousands of villagers.