Philippine military officials said the death toll in Monday’s Abu Sayyaf attack in the southern Sulu province has risen to 21 as security forces continue to hunt down the terrorist group linked to Jemaah Islamiya.
“As of now, we have 21 people confirmed dead and eleven more wounded from the attack,” said Capt. Maria Rowena Muyuela, a spokeswoman for the Western Mindanao Command.
The attack occurred at a time Muslims were celebrating Eid’ul Fitr, which marked the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Muyuela said among the dead were 14 women and a two-year old boy. Seven children were also wounded in the attack that occurred in the town of Talipao where Abu Sayyaf militants led by Idang Susukan and Sibih Pisih opened fire on two vehicles carrying 50 Eid revelers, including ten members of the Barangay Police Action Team or BPAT, a neighborhood volunteer police group escorting the civilians.
Provincial government officials and military commanders condemned the attack on innocent civilians. “We condemn this attack on innocent civilians, especially at this important time when Muslims are celebrating the Eid’ul Fitr,” Muyuela told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
She said Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero, chief of the Western Mindanao Command, has ordered security forces to pursue the Abu Sayyaf ambushers. “There is an on-going operation against the Abu Sayyaf terrorists,” Myuela said.
“The motive behind the ambush is a retaliatory action against the BPAT who are supporting the military and police authorities in the conduct of law enforcement operations in the province, particularly against the Abu Sayyaf in Talipao,” she said.
The attack could trigger retaliation by families and relatives of the victims against kin of the Abu Sayyaf attackers.
Authorities blamed the Abu Sayyaf for the spate of attacks and ransom kidnappings in the southern Philippines and has been linked also by the military to the al-Qaeda terror network.
Photos released by the Western Mindanao Command to the Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper show some of the victims of Abu Sayyaf attack in Talipao town in Sulu province on July 28, 2014.
http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/2014/07/death-toll-in-terror-attack-in.html
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