Troops seize Sayyaf camp

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Airborne troops seized an Abu Sayyaf camp in the jungles of Sulu after an hour of fierce fighting last Friday.

Two soldiers were wounded in the attack on Abu Sayyaf commander Radullan Sahiron’s hideout in Sitio Kanbaddal, Barangay Panglayahan in Patikul town.

The wounded were airlifted to a military trauma hospital.

Lt. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command chief (Westmincom), said the Scout Rangers rappelled down military helicopters that hovered around a clearing, a safe distance from the terrorist lair before launching the attack.

“The newly arrived Scout Rangers were inserted on the encounter site through ‘heliborne’ (troops insertion through helicopter) operations,” he said.

Dolorfino said Army artillery pummeled the camp to flush out the terrorists as troops advanced.

Soldiers destroyed the foxholes and defensive positions as the Abu Sayyaf band fled deep into the jungle, he added.

Dolorfino said troops recovered the remains of an Abu Sayyaf terrorist in a shallow grave at the camp.

Soldiers also found two rounds of rocket launcher ammunition, an improvised explosive devise and assorted ammunition, he added. – With Alexis Romero