By Hader Glang

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines

 At least 10 Philippine soldiers have been injured in an attack by al-Qaeda-linked militants on army headquarters in the troubled southern island province of Sulu, according to the military Wednesday.

Brigadier General Alan Arrojado, Joint Task Group Sulu commander, said in a text message that around 150 Abu Sayyaf gunmen surrounded the battalion headquarters in Patikul Sulu in a “retaliatory and diversionary” attack the night before.

"The wounded troops are all in stable condition," he said. "Pursuit operations are ongoing against the terrorists, who fled toward Barangay [village] Kabbuntakas and Panglayahan."

Arrojado believes the hour-long incident was aimed at avenging the group’s losses as it came a few hours after soldiers killed 13 Abu Sayyaf militants in fighting in the nearby island province of Basilan that also left two soldiers dead.

He said those behind the Sulu attack are followers of Radullan Sahiron -- who lost his right arm in a battle with government forces in Mindanao in the 1970s – and Tistah Hussein, whose father was killed in a clash in March.

The military is verifying a report that a Malaysian shopkeeper-turned-bomb-maker associated with Islamic State (IS) is suspected to be among 13 Abu Sayyaf gunmen killed in a clash Tuesday afternoon in Basilan.

Since 1991, the Abu Sayyaf -- armed with mostly improvised explosive devices, mortars and automatic rifles -- has carried out bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and extortions in a self-determined fight for an independent Islamic province in the Philippines.

The group, which has around 300 to 400 members mostly in Sulu and Basilan, is still keeping captive several Filipinos and foreigners, including nationals of Canada, Norway, the Netherlands and Italy.

It is notorious for beheading victims after ransoms have failed to be paid for their release.