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Thursday, May 24, 2007
Sayyafs, Marines clash in Basilan
By Bong Garcia
ISABELA CITY, Basilan -- Marine forces overran a lair of gunmen believed to be allied with the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf in a remote village of this province.
A 20-minute firefight ensued when the gunmen traded fire with the attacking forces that started around 5:45 a.m. Wednesday in Barangay Bato-Bato in the newly created town of Akbar.
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Colonel Ramiro Alivio, chief of the 1st Marine Brigade based in this city, said the raid was carried out following intelligence information that an armed group was holed up in the area.
Alivio said the group of gunmen, who suffered undetermined number of casualties, fled to different directions after the attacking forces outmaneuvered them.
The group, Alivio said, is led by Kiram Hambal alias Bakulaw, who is listed in the military's order of battle as member of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group.
Marine forces recovered a caliber .50 machinegun and hundreds of ammunitions, an M-203 grenade launcher, two camouflage upper garments with patches of the 18th Infantry Battalion and 1st Infantry Division, a military backpack, and a camouflage hammock.
Alivio vows to check the information he received that Hambal's group is maintained by "powerful politicians" as a private armed group. (Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. (May 24, 2007 issue)
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