More soldiers fielded to hunt down Abu Sayyaf in Sulu after deadly clash

From InterAksyon (May 26): More soldiers fielded to hunt down Abu Sayyaf in Sulu after deadly clash

The military has deployed more troops to hunt down Abu Sayyaf bandits in Patikul, Sulu, following Saturday's fierce clashes that left a dozen killed on both sides, Col. Rodrigo Gregorio, spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom), said.

As of Sunday morning, he said the casualties on the military side remains at 7 killed, 9 wounded.

“We continue to verify the casualties on the enemy side; they suffered at least five dead and 10 wounded,” citing a report from soldiers on the ground.

The military is hunting down a group of 20 Abu Sayyaf bandits it earlier encountered Saturday.

Heightened police alert

Late Saturday, the police in Sulu was placed on heightened alert following a clash that same morning between government forces and the Abu Sayyaf group.

Chief Supt. Noel Delos Reyes, police regional director for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) where Sulu is a component province, ordered Sulu acting police provincial director Senior Supt. Abraham Orbita to put all police forces on alert to prevent "diversionary tactics" that may be carried out by fleeing Abu Sayyaf elements.

Police said ASG members may resort to bombings and kidnappings to divert the attention of military forces.

Westmincom spokesman Col. Gregorio had identified two of the Abu Sayyaf fatalities as "their commander identified as Apong Idol and member Kausar Sawadjaan (or Adzmar Sawadjali).”

A marine reconnaissance team ran into an Abu Sayyaf unit near the town of Patikul as government forces tracked members of the militant group who were suspected behind a recent kidnapping in the area, he added.

Behind worst terror attacks

Founded using seed money from Al-Qaeda in the 1990s, the Abu Sayyaf is blamed for the worst terror attacks in the country, including the firebombing of a ferry in Manila Bay and kidnappings of foreign tourists.

The group is on the US government's list of so-called foreign terrorist organizations.
About 600 US troops have been rotating through the southern Philippines for a decade to help train local troops in hunting the Abu Sayyaf, who enjoy local support at their bases in some of the poorest areas of the Philippines.

In the past, when the military launched large scale actions against the al-Qaeda-linked group, bombings and kidnappings took place in downtown Jolo and other towns in the island province.

The Westmincom said Saturday's clash erupted in the village of Tugas.  It is believed that a son of an Abu Sayyaf leader was among those killed.

Major General Rey Ardo, Westmincom chief, said military operations are continuing with the Philippine Marines on the ground backed by air assets and artillery.

The ASG is believed to be holding Jordanian journalist Baket Atyani.

Atyani, along with two Filipino TV crew, were taken by the ASG on June 2012. The Filipino companions of Atyani were freed last year.

Aside from Atyani, the ASG is also holding other foreign and local captives.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/62599/more-soldiers-fielded-to-hunt-down-abu-sayyaf-in-sulu-after-deadly-clash