ANKARA 

Four gunmen were killed and three others injured in a clash with the Philippine’s armed forces in the country's south, local media reported on Monday.

Major Gen. Juvymax Uy, commander of the Philippine Army said a group of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters "scampered away when they felt more reinforcements" were closing in, daily Phil Star reported.

The incident occurred in Maguindanao province of the Bangsamoro autonomous region.

The report said the gunmen were trying to lay roadside bombs along the arterial networks in the troubled town of Shariff Saidona Mustapha when the clashes took place.

The soldiers found nine ready-to-use improvised explosive devices along the escape routes of the fleeing gunmen, according to the newspaper.