Abus attack Army detachment in Basilan

ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines  – Heavy fighting erupted yesterday when Abu Sayyaf militants attacked a military forward camp in the remote village of Sumisip town, Basilan according to government security officials.

The official said the Abu Sayyaf group under Commander Puruji Indama and Abugaw Bayali stormed about 9:30 a.m. the detachment of the 32nd Infantry Battalion located at Barangay Pamatsaken.

Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) have kept the reports under wraps for still unknown reason.

But security officials in Basilan said the alerted troops retaliated and prevented the Abu Sayyaf from rushing forward to the camp.

“Firefights have been ongoing as the Abu Sayyaf terrorists were thwarted and have been pursued by the Army troops,” according to a Marine commander.

The official said no casualty was reported on the military troops while the Abu Sayyaf attackers suffered an undetermined number of casualties as evidence of bloodstains were seen on the withdrawal sites.

The military official believed that the Abus have been subjecting the 32nd IB forces to attack to ward off its presence from the area in Sumisip, a known bastion of the militants who have been holding captive two Chinese nationals for more than four months now.

The Abu Sayyaf also attacked the same Army battalion two weeks ago killing a soldier and wounding 10 others in a landmine explosion and subsequently volley of fire.

The 32nd IB were supporting the Basilan provincial police under Senior Superintendent Antonio Mendoza in the rescue of Bo Shung Tan alias Michael Tan and Zi Shun Lu alias Oscar Lu, who were abducted along with Filipino Mark Singson on Nov. 10, 2009 inside the plywood company in Maluso town.

Singson was beheaded a month later after the employer – a certain Jorge Tan – failed to pay the initial P1.5-million ransom demand.

The Basilan Crisis Management Committee (CMC) have already given the police and military the signal to launch the rescue of the hostages.          – Roel Pareño