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Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Military softens Sayyaf positions with artillery fire
By Bong Garcia
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Military troops under Task Force Thunder pounded with several rounds of artillery Abu Sayyaf positions in Basilan, where the soldiers are pursuing members of the group.
Task Force Thunder information officer Captain Neil Estrella said 81-mm mortar fires were aimed at Barangay Selangkun in the newly created town of Ungkaya Pukan and the adjacent Baguindan village in Tipo-Tipo municipality.
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Estrella said the artillery fires that started Monday afternoon until Tuesday morning are aimed at softening the defense positions of the Abu Sayyaf bandits.
"This (artillery fires) is to support our ground troops," Estrella said in a text message.
The troops are still in the area since the latest reported clash on Sunday that injured two soldiers.
He said the target of the artillery attacks are the group of some 50 Abu Sayyaf bandits that figured in last Sunday's clash with the advancing soldiers.
However, there were no reported casualties yet on the enemy side as of Tuesday.
"As of now, we are still verifying reports of our civilian informants. Our troops have the support of the local leaders," Estrella said.
"They are giving information that is why are troops continue moving towards their objectives," he added.
Estrella said Abu Sayyaf bandits are concentrated in the two areas and are mobile but their movements are limited.
He said they are doing everything possible to seal off all possible escape routes of the bandits, adding "anywhere they go they are vulnerable."
Around 10:48 a.m. Tuesday, troops from the Marine Battalion Landing Team 7 (MBLT) 7 clashed with the bandits in Barangay Buhe Lebong, Tipo-Tipo.
Basilan Police Director Salik Macapantar said five of the July 10 ambush perpetrators were already killed since the start of the offensive in the province.
Fourteen marine troops, 10 of them beheaded, were killed while nine others were wounded when the Abu Sayyaf guerillas attacked them last July 10 in Barangay Ginanta, Al-Barka town.
A Basilan court has issued warrant of arrests against 130 people who were tagged as involved in the ambush. (Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pangasinan. (August 29, 2007 issue)
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