Ten people were killed in two separate attacks on security forces in Sulu, officials said Wednesday. Two soldiers, a civilian and three members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militant group were killed Tuesday in a gun battle on the southern island of Jolo, 950 kilometers south of Manila. In a separate attack on Tuesday four policemen were killed when they were attacked by armed men in MaguindanaoIn the Jolo attack, officials said the fighting lasted more than four hours in Barangay Kapuk Pungol near the town of Maimbung after militants ambushed a group of soldiers. Col. Domingo Tutaan, spokesman for the Southern Command, said two soldiers were killed in the clash with about 100 Abu Sayyaf gunmen. Three Abu Sayyaf gunmen were killed in the clash and a child died in the crossfire. Soldiers recovered three M-16 rifles and two M-203 grenade launchers that were left behind by the fleeing bandits.
Col. Gerry Jalandoni, chief of the Army's 604th Brigade, said the Maguindanao attack occurred Tuesday when a unit was ambushed. Jalandoni said the policemen had been preparing to negotiate for the surrender of members of the notorious Pentagon kidnap gang, made up of former rebels. "Apparently, they were on their way to negotiate the surrender when they were ambushed by, as yet, unidentified armed men," Jalandoni said by telephone. The attackers were positioned along the roadside and caught the police in a crossfire, he said. Jalandoni said authorities had yet to establish the identity of the attackers. Several armed groups are known to be in the area. The encounter occurred amid an intensified military campaign against suspected militants that are believed to be hiding in Mindanao.