At least seven Islamist Abu Sayyaf rebels were killed late Saturday in a clash with government troops in the southern Philippines, a navy commander said.
Commodore Geronimo Defensor said the clash erupted when pursuing marines caught up with the guerrillas near the seashore of Balimbing island in Tawi-Tawi province, 1,050 kilometres south of Manila.
Defensor said among those killed was Abu Sayyaf commander Jundam Jamalul, alias Black Killer, who has a 40,000-dollar bounty on his head offered by the United States government for his involvement in the kidnapping of western tourists in Malaysia's Sipadan island in 2000. "There was initial tracking of the bandits on Friday night in nearby Capual island," he said. "Our troops finally caught up with them in Balimbing."
Defensor said the government troops did not suffer any casualties during the clash. The troops also recovered rounds of bullet firearms and the twin-engine motor boat used by the rebels. |