The Philippine military says government troops have clashed with suspected Muslim rebels in the south of the country - but U.S. special forces at a nearby base were not involved.

Military officials say suspected guerrillas ambushed a Philippine military squad early Tuesday on the small island of Tingulan, near Basilan. The clash left two soldiers and an undetermined number of gunmen wounded.

Officials say several U.S. soldiers involved in joint exercises with Philippine forces pursuing the Muslim Abu Sayyaf rebel group were at a camp about seven kilometers from the scene of the fighting. But they say the Americans were not in danger.

Up to 160 U.S. special-forces members are to train Philippine troops in guerrilla warfare in the dense jungles of Basilan over the next six months. Another 500 American soldiers are assigned to support duty for the special-forces group.

U.S. and Philippine officials have said the U.S. troops will not engage in combat.

Abu Sayyaf, which has been linked to the al-Qaida terrorist network of Osama bin Laden, is holding captive an American couple and a Philippine nurse.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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