ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / July 29, 2012) – Muslim and Christian villagers gave been volunteering to help the security forces pursue Abu Sayyaf rebels, blamed for the spate of killings and kidnappings for ransom in the restive province of Basilan in the southern Philippines, an army spokesman said Sunday.
Officials said hundreds of government troops were sent to Basilan to fight rebel forces which killed over a dozen soldiers in fierce fighting this week. The soldiers, who belong to the 64th Infantry Battalion, arrived in Basilan from Lanao del Sur province over the weekend.
“The arrival of the soldiers in Basilan boost morale of the engage troops, local officials and the community aspiring for lasting peace,” said Capt. Albert Caber, a spokesman for the 1st Infantry Division.
Troops clashed with dozens of Abu Sayyaf gunmen in Sumisip town on Thursday that left 29 soldiers and rebels dead. The military blamed the Abu Sayyaf for the spate of killings and kidnappings for ransom in the restive province.
Caber said civilians were also volunteering to join the army in pursuing the Abu Sayyaf.
“Mixed civilians in the area are volunteering to join the government troops in the pursuit operation against the Abu Sayyaf,” he said.
But the spokesman did not say whether the army would tap the civilians and armed them to fight the rebels, whose group has been linked by authorities to both al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiya terrorists.
Basilan is one of five provinces under the Muslim autonomous region in Mindanao. (Mindanao Examiner)
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