At least 44 pro-Daesh armed men were killed and 26 more were wounded when Philippine forces shelled positions held by the rebels in southern Maguindanao province, the army said on Sunday.

The fighting broke out in a remote village in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town from Thursday morning and lasted the following day, said Lt. Col. Gerry Besana.

A soldier was slightly wounded, the army said in a separate statement.

The number of insurgents killed and wounded was based on intelligence information, Besana said.

“Seventy were killed and injured, we are still pursuing about 200 more,” Besana added.

The militants in southern Philippines were regrouping, retraining and recruiting new members for another attack elsewhere after occupying the southern city of Marawi for five months last year, according to the army.