11 Abu Sayyaf, 3 soldiers slain in rescue operations in Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Eleven Abu Sayyaf bandits and three soldiers were killed in encounters in Patikul, Sulu in the past two days as the military continued its operations to rescue the remaining hostages.

At least 17 soldiers and two bandits were also wounded in the gunfights.

Four of the 10 bandits slain in the encounter on Sunday were identified as Amah Talah; Taha Sawdjaan, a brother of Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, the second in command of the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu; a certain Red and Long Abraham.  

The identities of the slain soldiers were withheld pending notification of their respective families. The remains of the two killed in the clash on Sunday were airlifted to this city.

The wounded soldiers were brought for treatment to a hospital at Camp Teodulfo Bautista in Jolo and at the Camp Navarro General Hospital here.

Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Joint Task Force Sulu commander, said the encounters between personnel of the 5th Scout Ranger Battalion and the group of Abu Sayyaf sub-leaders Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, Idang Susukan, Injam Yadah and Ben Tottoh occurred in Sitio Kan Alas, Barangay Tanum and Bud Kaha, Maligay.

Sobejana said guns, several rounds of ammunition and bomb materials were among those recovered from the bandits.

Foreign terrorist?

The remains of three bandits, one of them foreign-looking, were recovered yesterday.

”There is an ongoing encounter... We believe one of (the fatalities) is the son of Sawdjaan. There is also a suspicious-looking foreign terrorist,” Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. told a press briefing yesterday.

Sobejana said search and rescue operations for the remaining captives would continue. 

“We will sustain our efforts until the last kidnap victim is rescued and the Abu Sayyaf is neutralized,” he said.

A Dutch man, a Vietnamese, three Indonesians and seven Filipinos, including two policewomen, remain in the hands of the bandits.