Saturday, February 09, 2008 AFP official: No US troops in Sulu clash By Bong Garcia
WESTERN Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief Lieutenant General Nelson Allaga denied the allegation that there were US troops involved in last Monday's fighting in a coastal village of Maimbung, Sulu, south of this city.
"Last Monday's fighting in the coastal village of Ipil, Maimbung was between Filipino troops against the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf bandits," said Allaga.
Allaga's statement came after a resident of Ipil village claimed to have seen US troops aboard a Philippine Navy boat that was docked in the shore of Maimbung town.
"There is no truth to the allegation that there are US personnel involved in that operation. It was purely an Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) operations," Allaga said.
The clash ensued around 2:55 a.m. of February 4 when government troops pursuing an Abu Sayyaf bandit group holding captive a rice trader from Jolo were met by the bandits while they were approaching the village of Ipil.
The bandits seized Maria Rosalie Lao, 58, around 4:45 p.m. of January 28 in Kakuyagan village, Jolo, the capital of Sulu province.
The Westmincom reported that two soldiers and three Abu Sayyaf bandits were killed while five others, including a junior officer, were wounded during the clash.
However, Sulu Governor Sakur Tan said seven civilians including four children aged 4 to 17 and a soldier on leave were killed in the Maimbung incident.
The firefight lasted for about an hour and bandit group led by Dr. Abu Pula fled to different directions, the Westmincom said.
Allaga said the US troops stationed in the country are prohibited from actually participating in any combat operations of the Philippine troops.
They are here only to assist and advise the Filipinos troops in the fight against terror group, according to Allaga.
Another round of joint RP-US military exercises is scheduled to start on February and will end in March 3.
