BASILAN PROVINCE (Mindanao Examiner / Aug. 8, 2013) – Philippine troops clashed with Abu Sayyaf gunmen on Thursday that killed 7 rebels and one soldier dead in Basilan province in the restive southern region of Mindanao, an army commander said.
Colonel Carlito Galvez, commander of army forces in Basilan, said seven Abu Sayyaf gunmen and a soldier were slain in fierce clashes in the town of Al Barka. The fighting also left three soldiers wounded, he said.
He said troops raided an Abu Sayyaf encampment and clashed with the group’s leaders – Nurhassan Jamiri, Isnilon Hapilon, Puruji Indama and Khair Mundos – who have links with the Indonesian militant Jemaah Islamiya, blamed for the spate of deadly bombings in the Philippines and Indonesia in the past.
He said the Abu Sayyaf leaders are hiding in areas where the Moro Islamic Liberation Front – the country’s largest Muslim rebel group which is currently negotiating peace with Manila – is operating and using them as shield from pursuing soldiers.
Galvez said they stormed the area after intelligence units confirmed the presence of terrorists in the village of Macalang. He said troops recovered improvised explosives assembled from mortar bombs in the encampment.
“The intent of the operations is to pre-empt Abu Sayyaf terror plan to attack the municipalities of Tipo-Tipo and Ungkaya Pukan, and the cities of Isabela and Lamitan (in Basilan), and Zamboanga City,” he told the Mindanao Examiner. “The pursuit operation was also intended to recover IED components for bombings immediately after the (Islamic) Hari-Raya (celebration after Ramadan).”
He said among the slain rebels were middle commanders. He said the body of the slain soldiers and those wounded in the fighting were airlifted to Zamboanga City.
“Government casualties were caused by sniper fires and heavily-defended and rugged terrain in the middle or MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) and MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) areas. The operation was executed with utmost considerations to the supremacy of the (government) peace process with rebels,” Galvez said.
Abu Sayyaf rebels also attacked an MILF camp in Al Barka town in an effort to drag them into the fighting against security forces. Basilan is one of five provinces under the Muslim autonomous region.
Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman has urged villagers in Basilan to stay calm and vigilant due to the threats of terrorism. “We should stay vigilant and calm and at the same time support the efforts of our government to bring peace and development not only in Basilan, but to all the provinces under the autonomous region,” he said.
“Our peace and development efforts are continuing and we shall not be distracted by violence or threats of terrorism. Let us all support these efforts and we shall overcome all these problems and emerge stronger and firm in our resolve to bring peace in the region,” Hataman said.
The Mindanao Human Rights Action Center said some 3,000 civilians in the villages of Guinanta, Macalang, Danapa, Linuan and Magcawa have fled the fighting and sought safe refuge in other areas.
Galvez said the fighting, which began at 4 a.m. lasted about 6 hours.
It was not immediately known whether the Abu Sayyaf was involved in the series of bombings in Mindanao since last month that killed and wounded dozens of people. (Mindanao Examiner)
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