The Philippines Thursday dismissed as "propaganda" a claim by the Islamic State group that its fighters had slaughtered nearly 100 soldiers and established a base in the mainly Muslim south where local militants are battling government forces.
The US-based SITE Intelligence Group reported Wednesday IS said its "mujahideen blew up seven troop transports and killed nearly 100 enemy forces".
Earlier this week the Philippine military said it had killed 25 Islamist Abu Sayyaf guerrillas as it presses an offensive on the southern island of Basilan despite the loss of 18 soldiers.
But Philippine defence secretary Voltaire Gazmin denied Thursday IS had joined forces with Abu Sayyaf.
"Our information is that there is no formal ISIS organisation here in the Philippines," he said, using an alternative acronym for the group.
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