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2 Abu Sayyaf killed in Basilan
Two Abu Sayyaf militants were killed and two soldiers wounded in fierce clashes Thursday in the southern Philippine island of Basilan, officials said. The fighting broke out Wednesday in Sumisip town after soldiers raided an Abu Sayyaf hideout in the village called Erely, and continued sporadically the next day. Troops were pursuing the gunmen, said Brigaider General Raymundo Ferrer, the island's military commander. At least two members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group were killed, but there could be more enemy casualties, he said, quoting reports from villagers who saw retreating gunmen dragging many bodies. "Two of my soldiers are slightly wounded, and two terrorists are also killed, and villagers reported they saw gunmen retreating with bodies," Ferrer said.He said villagers secretly informed the military about the presence of the hideout and gunmen in the area. "Villagers informed us about the presence of Abu Sayyaf terrorists in the area. Civilians are cooperating and helping us. They are proving us intelligence information about the Abu Sayyaf Group," he said. Ferrer said security forces were pursuing about three dozen gunmen, mostly remnants of the Abu Sayyaf under Khadaffy Janjalani, who fled the island after a massive military operation in 2002. He said new Southern Command chief Gabriel Habacon ordered an intensified campaign against the Abu Sayyaf, blamed for the spate of kidnappings and terrorism in the southern Philippines. Posted by: Dan Darling 2006-01-12 |
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