At least five government soldiers and a civilian were killed while more than 20 others wounded in a gun battle inside a state-run university late Wednesday in the southern Philippines, a military official said Thursday.

Col. Daniel Lucero, commander of the 103rd Infantry Brigade, said troops under 64th Infantry Battalion were responding to a gun fire inside State Mindanao University in the city of Marawi in Lanao del Sur province when they were attacked by armed men believed to be members of a drug syndicate.

Twenty other people, mostly students, were wounded.

"We believed the attackers belong to a drug syndicate and they could be high on illegal drugs," Lucero said. "Soldiers were pursuing the attackers."

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet