Three sons of two Abu Sayyaf group leaders holding Red Cross members Eugenio Vagni were among the six bandits killed in a gun battle with Marine troops in Indanan town, Sulu province, Thursday, the military said.

Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, head of Marines-led Task Force Comet, said in a report to the Philippine Navy that Ting and Magdar, sons of Abu Sayyaf leader Umbra Jumdail alias Dr. Abu Pula and Damz Parad, son of bandit sub-leader Albader Parad were among the six bandits killed by Marines in Barangay Timahu on Thursday.

Three other slain bandits killed during the clash were identified as Darul, Sallam and Julmillun.

Sabban added in the report that Parad and his brother Saddam Parad and 11 others were wounded in the clash.

The Philippine Navy, meanwhile, said that two more bandits have been killed during pursuit operations by members of the Marine Battalion Landing Team-4 (MBLT-4) in Barangay Timahu, bringing the total number of slain bandits, as claimed the military, in the encounter to eight.

The military said Thursday that two members of the MBLT-4 were killed by the bandits. Seven more soldiers were wounded.

The group of Jumdail and Parad have been on the run since the release of Red Cross members Andreas Notter and Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba in April. The bandits are still holding Vagni captive.

The three Red Cross members were seized after visiting the Sulu provincial jail in Patikul town last January 15. With a report from Noel Alamar, radio dzMM