ZAMBONGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 10, 2012) – The Philippine military said at least 22 soldiers were wounded on Tuesday after tripping on improvised explosives in a mountain encampment of the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group seized by security forces in the troubled southern province of Basilan.
The soldiers were clearing the camp in the town of Sumisip when they tripped on the explosives left behind by the Abu Sayyaf.
“Our troops were conducting combat reconnaissance patrol in the seized camp when they hit IEDs that wounded 22 soldiers,” said Col. Ricardo Visaya, commander of military forces in the Muslim province, just several nautical miles south of Zamboanga City.
The wounded, five of them critically, were evacuated to a military hospital in Zamboanga City. There were no reports of Abu Sayyaf casualties, but troops had killed 3 militants in a clash on Thursday in the area.
Western Mindanao military chief Maj. Gen. Noel Coballes said the operation against the Abu Sayyaf will continue.
“The immediate vicinity of Abong-Abong Peak had been an Abu Sayyaf stronghold before it was overrun by the troops of the 4th Scout Ranger Battalion. The Abu Sayyaf desgned the area to be impenetrable.”
“While our current priority is to evacuate our wounded soldiers, efforts to clear the area of Abu Sayyaf along with their landmines and IEDs will continue in order to emsure that civilians who want access to Abong-Abong for farming are assured of their safety,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)
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