Manila, Dhu-AlQa'dah 23, 1437, Aug 26, 2016, SPA -- Six extremist militants were killed on Friday in a firefight with government troops in the southern Philippines, dpa quoted a regional military spokesman as saying. Seventeen soldiers were also injured in the clash in Patikul town on Jolo Island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila, where the militants beheaded a Filipino hostage two days ago, said Major Filemon Tan. The troops were on patrol when they encountered a group of about 100 members of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group, he said. Among those killed was a junior leader who was allegedly involved in the kidnapping of two Canadians, a Norwegian and a Filipino on the southern resort island of Samal in September. The two Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall were executed in April and June after a ransom was not paid, while the Filipino was freed in June. The rebels are still holding captive Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, five Malaysians, eight Indonesians, a Dutchman and several Filipinos. --SPA 11:41 LOCAL TIME 08:41 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w