[Inquirer] At least six troops were killed and four others were injured in what the military described as a clash between Philippine soldiers and the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan province. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, however, said what took place in Sumisip town on Wednesday was a “misencounter” between soldiers and MILF militants.Task force commander Juvymax Uy said soldiers conducted a strike against Abu Sayyaf rebels led by Siar Alhamsirol and Parong Tedi in Upper Cabengbeng village on Wednesday afternoon. He said the gun battle lasted for four hours because the militants were “reinforced by lawless elements."
“As they edged toward the [provincial] circumferential road, operating troops were met with heavy fire by lawless elements believed to be relatives and sympathizers of the Abu Sayyaf bandits,” Uy said.
He said the military launched air support for the ground troops, who killed or wounded an undetermined number of rebels.
But Mohagher Iqbal, MILF peace panel chair, said no Abu Sayyaf militants were involved in the clash. He said MILF rebels in Sumisip were alarmed when soldiers arrived in their area “without any coordination.”
He said, "We suffered one dead and one injury."
Uy did not identify the six soldiers killed during Wednesday’s clash, which he insisted involved the Abu Sayyaf.
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