Manila - Seven soldiers including one officer were killed in clashes with Muslim secessionist rebels in the southern Philippines, a military spokesman said Tuesday.

Lieutenant Colonel Ernesto Torres said three soldiers were killed Monday morning in combat with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in Datu Piang town in Maguindanao province, 960 kilometres south of Manila.

He said one officer was among the casualties.

Four more soldiers were killed when government troops clashed with another group of MILF rebels in nearby Datu Saudi Ampatuan town Monday afternoon.

"Seven of our soldiers have been killed in the fighting," he said. "It's really like that. We do not have an accounting of how many lawless MILF rebels were killed in the encounter."

"At the moment the operations of our troops are continuing, specifically in the provinces of Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Lanao del sur and Lanao del Norte," he added.

The spokesman said 12 soldiers including one officer were also wounded in the fighting in Datu Piang.

Torres said the intensity of clashes in Datu Piang could be an indication that government troops were already closing in on MILF Commander Ameril Umbra Kato, who led his men in seizing several towns in nearby North Cotabato province last month.

Aside from Kato, government troops were also hunting down another rebel leader, Abdurahman Macapaar, also known as commander Bravo, who attacked several towns in nearby provinces of Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte.

The MILF attacks came in reaction to a ruling by the Supreme Court to block the signing of a territorial agreement that would have expanded the existing autonomous Muslim region in Mindanao.

More than 200 people were killed and 500,000 others were displaced in subsequent clashes between government troops and MILF rebels. (dpa)