4 killed, 11 wounded as soldiers clash with ASG-BIFF groups in Basilan

From InterAksyon (Sep 12): 4 killed, 11 wounded as soldiers clash with ASG-BIFF groups in Basilan

Even as sporadic clashes and a fifth fire raged in Zamboanga City, the conflict spilled over to Basilan, where 4 people were killed and 11 wounded after soldiers on Thursday encountered over 150 armed men believed to be members of the Nur Misuari faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). Fighting alongside the latter were elements of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).

Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan Jr., however, said at a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo that they were still confirming reports on the identities of the armed men who clashed with soldiers, as the standoff in Zamboanga City entered its fourth day.

“Well, that’s for Attorney Fontanilla as I heard him say yesterday. We will look into it,” he said, referring to lawyer Emmanuel Fontanilla, who last Monday had said in a supposed MNLF Facebook account that the armed men who started the mayhem in Zamboanga were not their members.

According to Col. Charlie Galvez, commander of the 104th Infantry Brigade, a member of the Civilian Volunteer Organization (CVO), was killed and two soldiers and 2 CVOs were wounded. “On the part of the rebels, 3 were killed and 7 were wounded according to reports by civilians who saw the enemy casualties,” Galvez said.

He said authorities “are making an assessment" amid speculation that MNLF and ASG forces in Basilan closed ranks in a show of support for the MNLF in Zamboanga. "Our troops state that it is ASG, they even would like to look deeper into it. But then again, we are making a careful assessment of this. It’s an incident that has happened very close to Zamboanga, I mean, it’s just off Zamboanga City, it’s (firefight) in Basilan but then again we do not want to immediately surmise any conclusion that this is or this is not connected.”

The assessment is being done "right now, as we speak, by the troops on the ground and by our operational command under the Western Mindanao Command,” he added.
Capt. Jefferson Somera, public affairs chief of the 1stInfantry Division, said the encounter between members of the 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion and about 150 armed started past 9 a.m. in Sitio Burgos and Sito Campo Dos, Barangay Colonia, Lamitan City.

Somera said the soldiers were “securing Christian communities in Colonia, Lamitan City" when they ran into "150 combined armed elements from ASG under Furuji Indama, Isnilon Hapilon, and BIFF leaders Basir Kasaran and Nurhassan Jamiri." he said the firefight lasted for two hours.

Earlier, at around 7p.m. Wednesday, Somera said around 50 armed men believed to be "members of Abu Sayaff and MNLF," harassed the Valentine detachment of the military based in Barangay Magcawa in Tipo-Tipo town. 

Soldiers in pursuit operations bumped into enemy positions two hours later in two towns, resulting in heavy fighting.

AFP ready for 'solidarity' attacks

Tutaan said the military is ready for solidarity attacks by any of the armed groups active in the area. “As far as preparedness is concerned, yes we have. In fact, the Armed Forces chief of staff (Gen. Emmanuel Bautista) is there (in Zamaboanga City).  The beefing up of our personnel, our units on the ground, is being undertaken considering all possibilities that will happen from situation one to situation 10 if you may use that as an analogy,” he said.

Earlier, heavy fighting continued for the fourth day between government forces and MNLF forces in Zamboanga City.

The fighting occurred in Sta. Barbara and Sta. Catalina as the number of evacuees, according to the latest data of the Crisis Management Committee (CMC) led by Mayor Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, has risen to more than 15,000.

Tutaan said the final discretion to free the city from the terror wrought by the armed groups holding 60 to 80 hostages rests with the civilian authority. “The CMC is on the lead on this…It’s not a sole decision of the AFP and the PNP. On what are the options to be undertaken, that is the domain of the CMC. I am not in the position to articulate what the CMC is going to look into or decide into,” he said.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/70604/4-killed-11-wounded-as-soldiers-clash-with-asg-biff-groups-in-basilan