COTABATO CITY, Jan. 25 -- Mayor Akmad Ampatuan of Shariff Aguak in Maguindanao del Sur escaped uninjured in an ambush on his two-vehicle convoy Sunday morning, but two of his escorts were hurt.

Three alleged ambushers were killed during a pursuit operation by a joint police-Army team.

"The mayor is safe," Anwar Kuit Emblawa, the mayor's executive assistant, told reporters here in a text message.

He said Ampatuan was in his bulletproof black sports utility vehicle when attacked around 6:30 a.m. in Barangay Poblacion.

His backup vehicle, a pickup, was also hit by bullets.

Emblawa said the two security escorts sustained non-life-threatening injuries and are being treated at Bangsamoro Regional and Medical Center in Datu Hoffer.

The sus...