MANILA (NYTIMES) - Philippine special forces on Monday (Nov 25) rescued a 70-year-old British national and his Filipino wife nearly two months after they were kidnapped by gunmen in the southern Philippines, the military said.

The soldiers rescued Mr Allan Arthur Hyrons and his wife, Ms Welma Paglinawan-Hyrons, after they were abandoned by their captors early on Monday after days of clashes on the south-western Philippine island of Jolo.

"This morning, there was a 10-minute gun battle and the two were left behind by their captors," said Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana, the regional military commander.

"They scampered away to different directions but we are pursuing them," he said of the kidnappers.

Lt Gen Sobejana identified the captors as members of the extremist Abu Sayyaf group, which has been blamed for a rash of high-profile kidnappings of foreigners in the past.

The faction of the group responsible for the kidnapping is closely allied with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and their members have been accused of carrying out a number suicide bombings in Jolo.

Troops had been pursuing the militants for weeks, and on Sunday, a pitched battle between the soldiers and insurgents on the island left at least five militants dead.

"This will have a big impact on our efforts against the Abu Sayyaf," Lt Gen Sobejana said. "This is a big blow to their morale."

It was not clear who initially seized the couple. The kidnapping was apparently planned by local gunmen who took the couple from a beach resort in October and ferried them by boat in the direction of Jolo, a far-flung island that is a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf.

Jolo is the site of a suicide bombing at a Catholic church that left 23 dead in January. That attack was believed to have been carried out by an Abu Sayyaf faction led by Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, who is believed to be the new leader of the local ISIS affiliate.

Sawadjaan took over from Isnilon Hapilon, who was killed two years ago by troops after he led South-east Asian and Middle Eastern militants in sacking the southern city of Marawi. Five months of gun battles there left more than a thousand militants, soldiers and civilians dead.

Lt Gen Sobejana said he expected Abu Sayyaf militants to retaliate by going after what he called "soft targets." He advised civilians to help the local authorities by reporting people engaged in suspicious activity.

He said the abducted couple appeared to be faring well despite their ordeal.

"The two appeared OK and would be subject to hospital checks," he said.