MANILA (Reuters) - Militants of at least five nationalities were among eight foreigners killed while fighting alongside Islamist militants against government troops in the southern Philippines, Manila's defence minister said on Thursday (June 1).

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told a news conference that fighters who were Saudi, Malaysian, Indonesian, Yemeni and Chechen among the dead found in Marawi City over the past week .

There were eight foreigners killed who were known to be fighting with the rebels, he said.

The Philippine military had previously said foreign militant fighters including Malaysians, Indonesians and Singaporeans, were involved in the clashes, joining what the government says is a bid "to establish an Islamic state (in Mindanao)".

Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has said there is no information on whether Singaporeans are involved in the armed insurgency.