A TOTAL of 15 suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits and three soldiers have been killed in clashes in Sulu since Sunday, May 13.
At about 6:15 a.m. Sunday, 10 suspected Abu Sayyaf members and two soldiers were killed in Sitio Kan Alas in the village of Tanum, Patikul town. Fourteen other people, including 12 soldiers, were wounded.
As government troops pursued the suspected bandits, another clash occurred at 11:45 a.m. Monday. Five suspected bandits and a soldier were killed during the firefight in Sitio Bud Kaha in the village of Maligay, Patikul. Five other persons were wounded.
Brigadier General Cirilito Sobejana, Joint Task Force Sulu commander, said the Abu Sayyaf Group is still holding 12 hostages, including three Indonesians, one Vietnamese and one Dutch. The rest are Filipinos.
Sobejana said sporadic fighting was "still ongoing” as of Monday afternoon.
As of Monday, the troops have recovered the remains of three suspected bandits, two high-powered firearms and other war paraphernalia as well as food.
Three suspected Abu Sayyaf members were found in a shallow grave before Monday's clash. They were believed to be among the 10 suspects who were killed in Sunday's firefight, Sobejana said.
Sobejana said the firefight on Sunday ensued when the troops chanced upon a group of Abu Sayyaf bandits while on security operations to rescue the hostages.
The suspects are allegedly followers of Abu Sayyaf sub-leaders Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, Idang Susukan, Injam Yadah, and Ben Tattoh.
Sobejana said the first firefight lasted for about one hour, after which the Abu Sayyaf bandits fled to different directions.
He said four of the 10 slain Abu Sayyaf bandits were positively identified as Amah Talah, Taha Sawadjaan (the younger brother of Hatib), Long Abraham, and a certain Abu Red.
The two Abu Sayyaf bandits who were wounded in the clash were identified as Ben Quirino alias Abu Ben Tatto and Adzren Sawadjaan.
He did not identify the slain and wounded soldiers, but said they belonged to the Army’s 5th Scout Ranger Battalion.
Sobejana said the wounded soldiers were airlifted to Zamboanga City and were hospitalized.
The troops recovered from the clash site Sundayu one M-16 “Baby Armalite” rifle, bomb-making components including canisters of ammonium nitrate, cellular phones, batteries and electronic mechanism.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1743154/Zamboanga/Local-News/18-killed-in-clashes-with-Abu-Sayyaf-in-Sulu
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