MANILA, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Nine Philippine soldiers were killed and two were wounded when militants with suspected ties to regional terror network Jemaah Islamiah ambushed a convoy in the south on Thursday, an army general said.

Major-General Ruben Rafael said rebels from the Abu Sayyaf group attacked the soldiers near Maimbung town at about 7:30 a.m. on the southern island of Jolo.

"We've sent reinforcement to evacuate our casualties," Rafael told reporters as helicopters flew to the scene of the fighting to ferry troops and bring back the wounded.