10 Abus, 7 soldiers dead in clash

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Seven soldiers, including a Marine officer, and 10 Abu Sayyaf bandits were killed in an encounter in Patikul, Sulu yesterday morning, military officials reported.

Capt. Ma. Rowena Muyuela, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) spokesperson, said heavy fighting broke out between men of the 2nd Marine Brigade and the Abu Sayyaf group under sub-leader Hairula Asbang at about 6:30 a.m. yesterday.

“The fighting started when the (Abu Sayyaf bandits) encountered the government troops who were conducting patrol operations in the hinterlands of Patikul,” Muyuela said.

She said the initial encounter left 10 militants dead. Government troops later recovered the body of one of the bandits.

A Marine first lieutenant was killed when fighting broke out in Barangay Kagay.

Six soldiers were later killed and 13 others were wounded in the second round of fighting when the bandits ambushed reinforcement troops from the Joint Special Operations Group (JSOG) in Barangay Kabbon-Takas.

The Abu Sayyaf reportedly fired 81-mm mortars at the soldiers.

Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, AFP Public Affairs Office chief, said three of the 13 wounded soldiers were airlifted by a Philippine Air Force helicopter to Zamboanga City for further medical treatment.

Zagala said the military is withholding the identities of the seven fatalities pending notification of their families.

Patikul town is a known enclave of the Abu Sayyaf bandits involved in ransom kidnappings in Sulu, the Zamboanga peninsula and even Sabah in Malaysia. – With Jaime Laude