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Three government soldiers were wounded in a clash with gunmen loyal to former Muslim Governor Nur Misuari in Indanan town, Jolo, southern Philippines, at 3.15 pm yesterday, said an army sergeant who requested anonymity.

Suspected separatist militants bombed a market and exploded a grenade in a cinema in the southern Philippines yesterday, killing four civilians and wounding 48 others, as U.S. special forces arrived there for military exercises.

U.S. reconnaissance aircraft scoured Abu Sayyaf territory and passed on information to the ground, but Filipino troops could not track the rebels or their hostages.

Members of the Abu Sayyaf Group failed in an attempt to kidnap Canadian national Christopher Johnson and French national of Egyptian descent Urban Hamid last Friday, said Lieutenant Colonel Fredesvindo Covarrubias, commander of the southern command's civil relations group.

Suspected Abu Sayyaf separatist rebels kept four hostages and freed 26 others after seizing them on the high seas, aboard a motor launch that left Sumisip town, Hot Island, Basilan (near Zamboanga port city) on Thursday afternoon.