ZAMBOANGA CITY – Soldiers clashed with combined Abu Sayyaf and separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas Tuesday in the mountain village of Ungkaya Pukan town in Basilan province, leaving a heavy death toll on the enemy side, a military official said.
Two Marines were killed in the day-long encounter while six dead bodies of the combined enemy forces were recovered, according to Brig. Gen. Juancho Sabban, commander of the Joint Task Force Thunder based in Basilan and concurrent deputy chief of the Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom).
He said the fighting started at 6:30 a.m. and dragged on until 8 p.m. Tuesday. Five Marines from the 8th Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT) were slightly wounded.
Sabban said the government troops encountered the combined forces of the Abu Sayyaf led by Furuji Indama and MILF leaders Abbas Sapanton and Commander Mudalam.
“We’re not at all lost, the six killed Abu Sayyaf and rebels were only the initial killed enemies on the ground but many more who were badly wounded have died,” Sabban said.
Private First Class Edison Tanisa, who was among the wounded military personnel, said they were conducting a dialogue with civilians when they were attacked by more than 200 rebels.
“Fighting was fierce as we defended our position and while we were trying to secure the civilians in the area,” Tanisa said in Filipino while he and his wounded comrades were being treated at the Camp Navarro General Hospital inside the Wesmincom Headquarters.
“Some of my wounded comrades were initially hit by mortar fire but we were given air support,” Tanisa said.
The Philippine Air Force MG-520 helicopter gunships under the 3rd Tactical Operation Wing also launched airstrikes and dislodged the attacking rebels.
The marine official said they have the names of those killed.
Lt. Col. Vicente Teodoro, commander of the MBLT, said that a brother of Abu Sayyaf leader Furiji Indama was among the six slain bandits. Indama was reportedly sighted during the encounter.
The Marines initially went to the area to pursue the armed groups responsible for attacking a civilian US Bell helicopter and to dialogue with the civilians.
Sabban said the intention of the Marines was to dialogue with the MILF and the barangay officials since the Bohe Suyak is part of the site where military humanitarian projects are to be implemented in January.
Bohe Suyak is, incidentally, the home town of those who staged the Batasan bombing, according to Sabban, adding that Redwan Indama is relative of Puruji Indama.
“The fighting was contained in the area, the troops are setting up a detachment near the encounter site to run after the remaining bandits,” Teodoro said.
“Obviously, it is only the MILF in the area who are armed with mortars; the Abu Sayyaf has no such weapon in their arsenal,” Sabban said.
The beleaguered Marines were immediately reinforced by the rest of their battalion under Lt. Col. Estilles and the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) led by Mayor Joel Maturan.
“Maturan and his CAFGU were instrumental in guiding us in the areas,” Sabban said.
Meanwhile, the military said it will file a protest against the MILF for violation of ceasefire.
The same MILF forces are also facing similar ceasefire protest for the ambush last July 10 which left 14 Marines killed, 10 of whom were subsequently beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf.
Sabban said a company of Marines from the MBLT was deployed and established in the village to constrict the area of operation of the Abu Sayyaf and the MILF. – James Mananghaya, AP