THE troops have uncovered a hastily abandoned camp of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in the hinterlands of Sulu, the military said Friday, December 9.

The Joint Task Force Sulu (JTFS) reported the newly abandoned camp was discovered around 3 p.m. Thursday at Sitio Kan Baddal in the village of Panglayahan, Patikul, Sulu, more than five hours after the troops of the Army’s 21st Infantry Battalion led by Lieutenant Colonel Presco Lobos clashed with more or less 150 ASG bandits.

The task force said the troops were on focused military operation (FMO) when they clashed with the bandits at 9:35 a.m. at Sitio Datag in the village of Panglayahan, Patikul.

The bandits who figured in the clash that lasted for about 30 minutes were led by ASG senior leader Radullan Sahiron and sub-leaders Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan and Mujer Yadah.

The task force said the bandits withdrew towards south direction from the clash site and were believed to have sustained casualties.

The JTFS said the newly-abandoned camp was discovered while the troops were conducting clearing operations.

The troops continued the implementation of the FMO in a bid to rescue the hostages from the bandits in Sulu.

The bandits are still holding captives 23 people that included six Vietnamese, six Filipinos, five Malaysians, four Indonesians, a German, and a Dutchman. (Sunnex)