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| Southeast Asia |
| 2 dead in Jolo fighting |
| 2005-12-13 |
| At least 2 soldiers were killed and a dozen more wounded in fierce clashes Monday between military and Abu Sayyaf forces in Jolo island, some 950 kilometers south of Manila. The fighting erupted after troops attacked a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf in the hinterland village of Tugus in Patikul town. Fresh military reports said dozens of militants were believed killed and wounded in the fighting. Clashes also erupted at the weekend in the village after soldiers, aided by civilian informants, tracked down a group of some 50 militants under Abu Sayyaf leader Radullan Sahiron. It was not immediately known if Sahiron was in the village in the latest fighting. Major Gamal Hayudino, a spokesman for the military's Southern Command, has confirmed there was fighting late Monday, but did not give details of the operations, saying "fierce clashes are going on since Sunday." The fighting broke out a day after US and Filipino soldiers held a joint humanitarian mission in Jolo. A small group of American troops is on the island, training RP soldiers in anti-terrorism warfare as part of a security assistance program to the Philippines. A bigger exercise is expected to begin early next year in Jolo, where Filipino forces are still battling hundreds of Abu Sayyaf militants whose group is tied to al-Qaeda, and former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) rebels. Weeks of fighting last month led troops to capture 5 major Abu Sayyaf and MNLF bases in Jolo. At least 6 soldiers and dozens of rebels were killed in the clashes that began in November 11 after gunmen raided military posts in the island's Indanan town. But Brigadier General Alexander Aleo, Jolo military chief, accused MNLF members of aiding the Abu Sayyaf. In many instances, Aleo said, MNLF forces fought alongside the Abu Sayyaf groups under Albader Parad, Radulan Sahiron and Umbra Gambahali, all included in Washington and Manila's terror lists. The Abu Sayyaf has splintered into smaller groups and were hiding in areas in Jolo's Mount Tumatangis, a known MNLF stronghold. The MNLF rebels, who used to be headed by Nur Misuari, signed a peace accord with Manila in September 1996. Many of them, however, were disgruntled with the accord and have joined the Abu Sayyaf to fight for the establishment of a strict Islamic state similar to Iran. The military said MNLF leaders Haber Malik and Bashir Jailani were aiding the militants. Malik has denied the allegations and said troops attacked their positions, in the guise of pursuing the Abu Sayyaf group, and that rebels were only defending themselves. Governor Benjamin Loong, of Jolo island, said thousands of people have fled the fighting and appealed to the military for a halt in offensives to allow civilians to return home. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |