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Thursday, September 27, 2007
Troops, Abu Sayyafs clash anew in Basilan province
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- A top official of the military’s Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) said 10 members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf bandits were killed in a day-long clash last Tuesday with military troops in the outskirts of Ungkaya Pukan town in Basilan.
Wesmincom chief Major General Nelson Allaga said this was based on reports submitted by the field commanders who are overseeing the offensive against the bandits in Basilan.
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Troops however failed to recover the remains of the slain bandits whose bodies are usually dragged away by their fleeing comrades, said Allaga.
Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the fighting broke out at the village of Silangkum on Tuesday morning against at least 50 to 80 Abu Sayyaf bandits and lawless elements. The fighting was followed by at least two more skirmishes, the last one happened at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, he added.
“It was a fierce encounter,” said Esperon of the clashes that took place more than a kilometer from the camp that was assaulted by Marine soldiers on August 18.
According to Esperon, the assault resulted in the killing of 15 soldiers, including five officers, and at least 42 Abu Sayyaf men.
He said the latest fighting broke out when student soldiers of the First Scout Ranger Regiment assaulted a temporary encampment of the Abu Sayyaf. They were backed up by forces from the 4th Scout Ranger Battalion, 9th Special Forces Company, and 7th Marine Battalion Landing Team that are positioned near the site.
On the side of Abu Sayyaf and lawless elements, Esperon said: “The report that we have is that the Abu Sayyaf also suffered heavy casualties and the operations will continue. The initial reports are that no less 10 of the Abu Sayyaf group were killed in the encounter,” he said.
He said they were still checking if the leader of the encountered group, Furuji Indama, was among those who died in the encounter.
“We are still trying to verify that whether he was wounded or one of the casualties but by the accounts of our operating troops, there could be no less than 10 of the Abu Sayyaf and lawless elements who died in the encounter,” said Esperon.
Incidentally, Indama was among the two Abu Sayyaf leaders named by the military who died during the August 18 assault of the Abu Sayyaf camp in Ungkaya Pukan town.
Esperon said before last Tuesday’s fighting, there were sighting on Indama in unnamed areas.
“That was the report earlier (that Indama died in the August 18 clashes). That has since then put into validation since there were reports that he was sighted somewhere,” he added.
Indama is among the more than 100 Abu Sayyaf and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) personalities who have been issued warrants for arrest in connection with the July 10 ambush in Al-Barka town, also in Basilan, that left 14 soldiers dead, 10 of them were beheaded and mutilated.
Esperon said they are looking into the possible involvement of the MILF in the fighting. Members are supposed to be at their base in Ginanta village in Al- Barka, as part of the earlier agreement, so that the military can concentrate on going after the Abu Sayyaf. (Bong Garcia/VR/Sunnex)
(September 27, 2007 issue)
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