MANILA, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-three government troops and at least 20 militants were killed in a day of intensive fire-fighting southern Philippine jungles, the military said Thursday.

    Hundreds of troops Wednesday stormed two camps of the Al Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group in the southern Basilan province. Sporadic firefight broke out pre-dawn and lasted until late night, military officials said.

    The latest casualty count was disclosed by sources close to Brigate General Rustico Guerrero, commander of the Marine forces on the island of Basilan. The regional military authority late Wednesday put the rebel death toll at 10 and did not mention government casualties.

    The fresh encounter centered two remote villages of Ungkaya Pukan and Silangkum in Tipo-Tipo town of southeastern Basilan. Troops also seized dozens of homemade bombs and 13 high-powered firearms in their raid.

    The 340-member Abu Sayyaf is blamed for a series of terror attacks and kidnappings in the Philippines. Since 2002, a few hundred of U.S. non-combatant troops have been deployed in Basilanto assist Filipino counterparts in training and gathering intelligence reports.