Soldier killed in clash with Abu Sayyaf in Sulu

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 8): Soldier killed in clash with Abu Sayyaf in Sulu

A soldier and an undetermined number of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits were killed in a clash in Sulu province, the military said Saturday.

Lt. Col. Gerry Besana, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) information officer, said the fighting occurred around 5:38 p.m. Friday in Barangay Bungkaong in Patikul, Sulu.

Besana said the troops were on combat operations when they clashed for about 30 minutes with a group of ASG bandits.

A soldier, who was wounded in the clash, later expired upon arrival at a military hospital in this city, Besana said.

The military was unable to release the identity of the slain soldier except to say the latter was assigned with the Alpha Company of the Army’s 21st Infantry Battalion.

The bandits, meanwhile, suffered undetermined casualties, based on the report of the residents in the area, Besana said.

Besana said the ASG bandits fled following the arrival of reinforcements and provision of fire support by nearby military units.

“This (death) emphasized our soldiers’ ultimate sacrifice to bring peace here in Sulu,” the military official said.

Following the clash, the troops recovered an M-14 rifle abandoned by the fleeing ASG bandits.

Besana vowed that the troops under the Joint Task Force Sulu will continue to conduct combat operations against the ASG bandits in Sulu, who are still holding hostage six people.

The hostages included a Dutch, an Indonesian, a Vietnamese, and three Filipinos.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1056131