The Philippine military on Sunday said a member of the Southeast Asian regional terrorist network Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) was among the militants killed in a sea battle with government forces in Tawi-tawi on Saturday.

The dead JI member, identified as "Gufran," is an Indonesian trustee of Dulmatin, who is among the JI leaders being pursued by government forces in Sulu, Philippine Navy spokesman Giovanni Carlo Bacordo told a press conference.

Also killed in the clash were five Abu Sayyaf Group members, including two of its leaders, Bacordo said.

The six terrorists were shot dead aboard a boat by Philippine government forces off the waters of Balimbing village, Panglima Sugala town in Tawi-tawi, the southwesternmost province on Saturday afternoon.

The JI was allegedly responsible for the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings in Indonesia that killed more than 200 people.

Source: Xinhua