COTABATO (Philippines): At least five government soldiers and a civilian were killed and more than 20 others wounded in a gun battle inside a state-run university late Wednesday in the southern Philippines, Xinhua news agency reported.

Col. Daniel Lucero, commander of the 103rd Infantry Brigade, said troops from the 64th Infantry Battalion were responding to a gun fire inside State Mindanao University in Marawi city in Lanao del Sur province when they were attacked by armed men believed to be members of a drug syndicate.

Twenty other people, mostly students, were wounded.

"We believe the attackers belong to a drug syndicate and they could be high on illegal drugs," Lucero said.


- Bernama