Eight Abu Sayyaf linked to Australian kidnapping killed

From ABS-CBN (Apr 15): Eight Abu Sayyaf linked to Australian kidnapping killed

MILF: We were attacked too

MANILA - A military commander in Basilan said at least eight alleged members of the Abu Sayyaf were killed during a firefight with government soldiers in the outskirts of Tipo-tipo in Basilan on Monday.

Col. Carlito Galvez, commander of the Army's 104th Brigade, said they targeted the lair of Abu Sayyaf leaders Furuji Indama and Isnilon Hapilon.

He said the operation began at 5:30 a.m. Three hours later, the Abu Sayyaf’s camp fell in the hands of the soldiers, he said.

"Based on the account of the operating troops, at least eight Abu Sayyaf men died in the fighting but there is no confirmation as to [the exact number]," said Galvez. Three from the government’s side were injured, he said.

Col. Rodrigo Gregorio, spokesman of the military's Western Mindanao Command, said the group may also have been involved in the kidnapping of Australian Warren Richard Rodwell, who was released in Pagadian last month.

"Both ASG leaders and most of their followers presently have several standing warrant of arrest for crimes ranging from kidnapping and serious illegal detention, murder and frustrated murder," he said.
The operation was near the lair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Gregorio explained, however, "We would like to emphasize that the operation was conducted and directed only against the ASG terrorists with utmost consideration on the safety of MILF communities in the operational area.”

However, the MILF said on its website that the members of the 18th Infantry Battalion attacked them as well.

Luwaran quoted Abbas Salung, a member of the MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities, as saying that the incident had been relayed to the MILF headquarters in Camp Darapanan in Maguindanao.

They were already ordered to file a complaint for violation of the ceasefire between the MILF and the government.

"The encounter had already ceased but actions must be undertaken by the government to avoid recurrence of the firefight between the government and MILF forces and to prove that the government forces are indeed upholding the policy of the PNoy government for the primacy of the peace process," Salung said.

The MILF members supposedly attacked were under the leadership of Ustaz Hamzah Sapanton, a provincial committee chairman of the MILF.

Quoting Sapanton, Salung said: “Clearly there is a deliberate act to undermine the ceasefire and the peace talks between the government and MILF, which only compounds the increasing doubts of the public over the sincerity of the government in the peace process.”

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/04/15/13/eight-abu-sayyaf-linked-australian-kidnapping-killed