MANILA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people, including five soldiers and three militants, were killed and 20 others wounded in a fresh clash between government troops and Abu Sayyaf militants in Sulu province in southern Philippines on Saturday.

Col. Gerry Besana, spokesman for the military's Western Mindanao Command, said the three Abu Sayyaf members were killed in the fierce fighting that broke out at around 11:30 a.m. local time when troops ran into up to 150 Abu Sayyaf militants in the remote villages of Patikul.

Besana said the militants withdrew after an hour and 50 minutes of fighting resulting in the killing of five soldiers and wounding of five others.

The military has launched a fresh offensive against the Abu Sayyaf after the twin blasts hit a church in Jolo, Sulu killing 22 and injuring more than 100 late last month.

The military blamed Abu Sayyaf for the blasts.

Philippine government security forces have launched a series of operations to hunt the bombers.

Abu Sayyaf, a rebel group, often carries out kidnappings, bombings and beheadings in western Mindanao, particularly in their lair in the island provinces of Basilan and Sulu.