Scout Ranger killed, another wounded in Basilan ambush

From the Mindanao Examiner (Feb 21, 2021): Scout Ranger killed, another wounded in Basilan ambush

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Gunmen killed a member of the Philippine Army’s Scout Ranger regiment and wounded another in an ambush Tuesday in the restive Muslim province of Basilan.

The soldiers were on a motorcycle heading back to their camp from the marketplace in Sumisip town when armed men attacked them in the village of Mebak. The identities of the casualties were not immediately known.

No group or individual claimed responsibility for the ambush, but the town is a known stronghold of the pro-ISIS group Abu Sayyaf.

The attack came a day after troops clashed with Abu Sayyaf in the province of Sulu that left one gunman dead and two soldiers wounded in the village called Kabbon Takas in Patikul town.

This was confirmed by Maj. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, commander of Joint Task Force Sulu, saying members of the Philippine Army’s 111th Division Reconnaissance Company, and 32nd Infantry Battalion clashed twice with the group of terrorist leader Mudzrimar Sawadjaan, alias Mundi, one of the most notorious Abu Sayyaf commander in the province and included in the military's order of battle.

Patrimonio identified the slain gunman as Rhudymar Habib Jihiran, alias Gulam.

“The two encounters also resulted in the wounding of two soldiers. Both are in stable condition and are currently recuperating at Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista Station Hospital,” he said without releasing the names of the soldiers.

Army Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, chief of Western Mindanao Command, has ordered an intensified campaign against the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf and assured the safety of civilians against terrorist threats.

“Despite our constant call for peaceful resolution of conflicts, some remain cold-hearted, hence, we continue to intensify our operations to press on them. Rest assured that our operations are always in adherence to the International Humanitarian Law and other laws promulgated to ensure the safety of the communities,” he said.

http://mindanaoexaminernewspaper.blogspot.com/2023/02/scout-ranger-killed-another-wounded-in.html