MikeLigalig.com

Thu Jul 28, 2011 12:14pm IST


MANILA (Reuters) - Seven Philippine soldiers were killed and 21 wounded on Thursday in the heaviest fighting in months between government troops and al Qaeda-linked militants on a remote southern island, an army spokesman said.

The militants of the Abu Sayyaf group also suffered heavy casualties when soldiers stumbled upon their main base on Jolo island, said Lieutenant-Colonel Randolph Cabangbang.

"We're sending helicopters to provide close air support as well as evacuate our casualties," Cabangbang told reporters, adding that soldiers battled the militants for five hours before capturing the base.

"Our troops were pursuing a small group of armed men who were holding captives when they found themselves in the middle of the Abu Sayyaf's main base. That would explain our losses."

The Abu Sayyaf, with an estimated strength of about 300 fighters, is the smallest but deadliest of several Muslim groups fighting the government of the majority Christian Philippines.

Since 2002, U.S. troops have been helping train and advise troops fighting the militants, and the Abu Sayyaf has been largely contained in recent years.

Cabangbang said there were an estimated 70 rebels in the base, near Patikul town, which served as the headquarters of militant leaders Radullan Saheron and Isnilon Hapilon.

Some Indonesian and Malaysian militants were believed to have been there, he added.

"We hit the militants' nerve centre, so there was heavy resistance," Cabangbang said.

Saheron and Hapilon are on a U.S. State Department wanted list for involvement in numerous murders and kidnappings, including three workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross in 2009 and an American missionary couple in 2001. (Reporting by Manny Mogato; Editing by Robert Birsel) -- http://in.reuters.com/



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Bodies of mutilated Marines recovered in Sulu
By Roel Pareño (The Philippine Star) Updated July 30, 2011 12:00


ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Five of seven Marines killed in the fierce gunbattle between government troops and the Abu Sayyaf in the jungle of Sulu last Thursday were beheaded and mutilated, security sources confirmed yesterday.

A military report, citing intelligence, said 26 soldiers were also wounded and at least 13 militants may have also been killed in the initial clash and follow-up fighting but troops did not recover any bodies.

The five, including a second lieutenant who was initially reported missing but whose decapitated body was subsequently recovered, also lost several night fighting equipment and high-powered firearms to the bandits.

The fighting took place between the slopes of Mount Tunggol and Mount Gasam in Barangay Panglayahan, Patikul Thursday at dawn after Marines maneuvered in stormy weather close to the encampment of the militants in an effort to capture Abu Sayyaf leaders Radullan Sahiron, Isnilon Hapilon and allied militants belonging to the Southeast Asian militant network Jemaah Islamiyah.

Regional military spokesman Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang declined to confirm or deny the reported mutilation of the soldiers, whose remains were already airlifted Thursday night and brought to a private funeral home here.

“As much as possible we want to show the bravery of this soldiers, how they sacrificed their lives to preserve the safety of the civilians from the terrorists,” he said.

“They were able to penetrate the camp but the militants were positioned on higher ground, that’s why we had casualties,” Cabangbang said.

Despite the large number of military casualties, the militants withdrew into the woods after five hours of fighting and government forces captured their hideout.


More at: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=711473&publicationSubCategoryId=63

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