At least five Muslim gunnies were killed in a battle with Philippine troops on Basilan island, where two Americans and a Filipino nurse are being held hostage. The firefight came a day after the Philippines and the United States opened a training exercise aimed at wiping out the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas, who have been linked to the al-Qaida terror network. Philippine soldiers engaged about 20 guerrillas in a 15-minute gunfight around Maluso town on Basilan island. The remaining guerrillas were being pursued by the marines, who suffered no injuries.
The gunfight means next to nothing, except to those involved. The ultimate objective has to be to break apart any structure the group has - and Abu Sayyaf is more of a gang than a terror network. |