Cotabato City, Philippines - Thirteen Muslim separatist rebels were killed while two soldiers were hurt in separate clashes in the southern Philippines, the military said Tuesday.

It said 10 guerrillas from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were killed Tuesday in a firefight in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao province, 960 kilometres south of Manila.

Cotabato City, Philippines  - Three Muslim separatist rebels were killed while two soldiers were hurt in a clash in the southern Philippines, a military spokesman said Tuesday.

The firefight occurred on Sunday in the village of Malingaw in Shariff Aguak town, Maguindanao province, 960 kilometres south of Manila, according to Major Randolph Cabangbang.

Cabangbang said soldiers were on patrol in the village when they encountered a group of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels, triggering the clash.

Cotabato City, Philippines - Three civilians, including a 5-year-old boy, were killed and nine were taken hostage by Muslim separatist rebels in two attacks in the southern Philippines, police said Friday.

The civilians were slain when Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels attacked a military outpost Thursday in Midsayap town in North Cotabato province, 930 kilometres south of Manila, said the town's police chief, Inspector Renante Cabico.

Cabico said the victims were among 150 people caught in the crossfire between the MILF guerrillas and army troops.

Cotabato City, Philippines  - Three civilians, including a five-year-old boy, were killed in an attack by Muslim separatist rebels in the southern Philippines, police said Friday.

The attack occurred Thursday in Midsayap town in North Cotabato province, 930 kilometres south of Manila, according to town police chief Inspector Renante Cabico.

Cabico said an undetermined number of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels attacked a military outpost in Midsayap and indiscriminately opened fire as they withdrew.

Cotabato City, Philippines - Three soldiers were wounded in a clash with Muslim secessionist rebels in the southern Philippines, a regional army spokesman said Saturday.

Colonel Julieto Ando said he received reports that 19 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels were also killed in the fighting Friday in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town in Maguindanao province, 960 kilometres south of Manila.

Cotabato City, Philippines - Fire razed a Philippine military ammunition depot in the troubled southern region of Mindanao on Friday, triggering a series of explosions that caused panic among nearby residents.

Major Randolph Cabangbang, a regional military spokesman, said the cause of the fire was still being determined, but assured the public that sabotage was not involved in the incident.

He said the depot inside Camp Siongco in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Shariff Kabunsuan town, 930 kilometres south of Manila, was completely destroyed by the fire.

"No need to be alarmed," he said. "Nobody was hurt, and the ammunition stored in the warehouse are old, defective and were scheduled for disposal."