Philippine troops patrol restive Basilan province in the file photo. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 13, 2012) – Unidentified gunmen ambushed a group of army soldiers on Saturday and killing at least 3 of them in Lamitan City in the restive Muslim province of Basilan, authorities said.
It said the soldiers were members of the 32ndInfantry Battalion and were heading back to their barracks on motorcycle when the attack occurred near the village of Baas.
No individual or group claimed responsibility for the attack, but Basilan, one of five provinces under the Muslim autonomous region, is a known stronghold of two of the country’s rebel groups – the Abu Sayyaf and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front – which had previously attacked military and civilian targets in the area.
The ambush which occurred ahead of the signing of the peace pact between Manila and MILF, the country’s largest Muslim rebel group fighting for self-determination in the South.
It was unknown whether the ambush was perpetrated by rebel groups or not. (Mindanao Examiner)
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