Military: 10 Abu Sayyaf bandits killed in Sulu clash

From the Philippine Star (Oct 29): Military: 10 Abu Sayyaf bandits killed in Sulu clash

Senior military officials confirmed Monday that the Abu sayyaf Group which the Marines encountered Sunday morning in Sulu suffered 10 fatalities. Major Gen. Rey Ardo, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, said the fatality count suffered by the Abu Sayyaf was based on the bodies recovered from the encounter site in Barangay Bakong, Patikul town. The military said that among those killed was the grandson of Abu Sayyaf leader Radulan Sahiron identified as Ismin. The other nine fatalities were identified by village leaders. The bodies of the bandits have been buried by the military with the assistance of village officials and leaders. “There was a mass burial late Sunday of the slain militant members and the village leaders helped us identify those killed,” Col. Orlando de Leon, 2nd Marine Brigade chief, said. Ardo said that the Abu Sayyaf bandits encountered by the Marines were assisted by suspected members of the Asian terror group Jemaah Islamiyah. He said the fighting erupted just three kilometers away from the headquarters of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 6 (MBLT).... The firefight between the Marines and the bandits lasted for six hours. Ardo said that the encounter was very close that most of the injured soldiers were hit by shrapnel coming from the indirect fire of the M79 grenade launchers from the bandits. “It was a very close firefight,” Ardo said. The firefight also resulting in the killing of four Marines, who were shot by Abu Sayyaf snipers....

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