Six suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group were killed while 11 soldiers were wounded in the continuing offensive launched against them by the military in Sulu and Basilan yesterday.
Major Filemon Tan, spokesman of the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command, said ensuing military operations launched by troops of the Joint Task Force Basilan resulted in the killing of two Abu Sayyaf members under Radzmil Jannatul, alias “Khubayb,” and a certain “Guro Arah” at Hill 490 in Barangay Poblacion, Tipo-Tipo, Basilan at around 6:30 a.m.
Retrieved by troops at the engagement site were two bodies and a caliber .50 heavy machine gun.
Nine soldiers were wounded and airlifted by troops to the Camp Navarro General Hospital in Zamboanga City.
In Sulu, four Abu Sayyaf members under Alden Bagadi, alias “Sayning,” were killed in military operations in Barangay Langpas, Indanan at 8:50 a.m.
Close air support was provided to the engaged troops. Military troops in the ground recovered the remains of the enemy casualties.
Tan said two soldiers were wounded and promptly extricated by augmenting troops to the Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista for treatment.
Tan said the military coordinated with the police Scene-of-the-Crime Operatives to conduct documentation of the dead ASG members.
Pursuit operations are ongoing against the ASG. “The military continues to conduct all-out offensives targeting the Abu Sayyaf Group to neutralize the threat group in Basilan and Sulu,” Tan said. (Francis T. Wakefield)