Maj. Gamal Hayudini, Armed Forces Southern Command information chief, said the latest fighting broke out last Friday in a remote barangay in Tuburan town.
Troops from the Army’s 18th Infantry Battalion backed by militiamen fought 30 heavily armed Abu Sayyaf terrorists under Commander Amir Mingkong in Sitio Ombasan, Barangay Sinulatan, he added.
The fighting lasted for about 15 minutes before the terrorists broke up into small groups and escaped, dragging their casualties along with them, Hayudini said.
Brig. Gen. Reymundo Ferrer, Army 103rd Brigade commander based in Basilan, said his men have launched a manhunt for the terrorists to prevent them from wreaking more havoc.
Last Wednesday, troops killed two Abu Sayyaf terrorists in a firefight, he added.
Wounded in the battle were a junior officer and two soldiers, Ferrer said.
The military flushed out most of the Abu Sayyaf leadership during the Balikatan 02-1 almost four years ago with technical assistance and advice from US troops.
However, Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffi Janjalani and his top commanders, Isnilon Hapilon and Jainal Antel Sali (alias Abu Solaiman) remain at large.
The three are wanted by the US government for the kidnapping and murder of three US citizens in 2001.
Meanwhile, US embassy chargé d’ affaires Paul Jones said he hoped that more informants would be enticed by the huge reward offered from the US government to pinpoint the whereabouts of terrorists.
"We hope that, inspired by this example, others will make a similar commitment to step forward and bring to justice Khadaffi Janjalani, Abu Solaiman, Isnilon Hapilon, Dulmatin, Umar Patek and other known terrorists so we can forever end the depredation of the Abu Sayyaf group and JI and other terrorist organizations here in the Philippines," he said.
Jones spoke after handing over a $100,000 reward to an informant who had helped authorities arrest Abu Sayyaf commander Toting Craft Hanno recently.
The ceremony occurred inside Armed Forces Southern Command headquarters in Zamboanga City Tuesday.
Wearing a long-sleeved black sweatshirt and a hood, the informant who appeared to be male and a little stocky, walked casually and accepted the reward contained in an attaché case from Bill Lamb, a US embassy official. — Roel Pareño