MANILA” Six people were killed on Monday and dozens wounded in a clash between government troops and Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines, police and military said. The clash occurred before dawn when a navy patrol boat confronted several boats carrying rebels of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) near Zamboanga City, 875km south of Manila, military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala said. Zagala said about 300 MNLF fighters then swooped down on five villages as they attempted to reach the centre of the city to support a protest march, but were blocked by soldiers. The MNLF signed a peace agreement with the government in 1996, but has accused the government of failing to implement the accord. MNLF leader Nur Misuari recently revived the call for an independent Islamic state in the southern region of Mindanao, alleging that the government has ignored the group's grievances. Zamboanga City Mayor Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said one soldier, one police officer and four civilians were killed in the hostilities, while 24 were wounded.