Yesterday 53 prisoners, including members of Islamic terror gang Abu Sayyaf, escaped from a jail in the Philippines; today the government said 19 of them have been recaptured, and 8 more killed.

ISABELA, Philippines, (AFP) - Nineteen of 53 prisoners who escaped from a Philippines jail, including several Muslim extremists, have been recaptured and eight others killed by pursuing forces.

Twenty of those who bolted Saturday from a provincial jail in Isabela city, the capital of Basilan island, are believed to be rebels from the Abu Sayyaf Muslim extremist group, the officials said.

Among those who escaped were Abu Sayyaf leaders Abu Black, Abu Burhan and Abdulaziz Naya. They were awaiting trial for numerous abductions over the years.

“Probably it will take a long time before we get all of them,” provincial governor Wahab Akbar said. “But we will not stop the hunt until all prisoners are recaptured. I have ordered security forces to shoot and kill the escapees if they fight back.”

He said by the latest count 19 had been recaptured and eight killed, five of whom were Abu Sayyaf members. Twenty-six remain at large somewhere in Basilan, an island with large forest cover and a known lair for armed Muslim groups, including the Abu Sayyaf.

Provincial officials said a pistol had been smuggled into the jail and was used by a prisoner to seize guns from guards to launch the breakout. Akbar said initial investigations showed there was “laxity among the guards.”