Five dead in southern Philippines clash

COTABATO, Philippines, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Four Filipino bandits and a five-year-old girl were killed in a clash over the weekend in the restive southern Philippines, a military official said on Monday.

Soldiers were on foot patrol on Saturday in the village of Upper Sepaka in Surallah township of South Cotabato when they encountered undetermined number of bandits linked to rouge Muslim rebels, said Lt. Col. Joshua Santiago, a local military commander.

Four suspects were killed in the exchange of gunfire. A five-year-old girl, who was hit by stray bullets, was also killed.

Last week, gunmen stormed the same village in the town and torched three houses.