Manila: At least seven Philippine soldiers were killed by Muslim separatists in the troubled southern island of Mindanao on Sunday, the military said.

A dozen others were wounded in the ambush, which comes four days after troops halted an offensive against rebels from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The soldiers were en route to a remote detachment when they were ambushed by around 100 rebels, armed with rocket-propelled grenades and machineguns.

Four regular soldiers and three part time troopers were killed.

"Our troops were taken by complete surprise," an army brigade commander in Lanao del Sur province, told reporters.

This is the latest outbreak of violence since a territorial deal with the MILF was halted by the Supreme Court earlier this month.