2 Marines hurt in Sayyaf clash
ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines – Marines hunting down bandits holding foreigners captive clashed with an Abu Sayyaf group in the mountains of Talipao, Sulu last Saturday, leaving at least two soldiers wounded, the military said.
The Abu Sayyaf group also suffered casualties in the encounter in Barangay Kiyutaan, Talipao town, the military said.
Col. Rodrigo Gregorio, spokesman and civil-military chief of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said elements of the 32nd Marine Company under the Marine Battalion Landing Team 2 were on foot patrol when they encountered the Abu Sayyaf group at around 8 a.m. Saturday.
The military could not say if the Abu Sayyaf group could be holding any of the foreign hostages.
Still believed to be in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf are Jordanian journalist Baker Mohammad Atyani, and two Europeans, Dutchman Elwold Horn and Swiss Lorenzo Vinceguerre.
Atyani, bureau chief of the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya news channel, was held captive along with his two Filipino television crewmen in June last year. The two Filipinos were freed last February.
Horn and Vinceguerre, on the other hand, were snatched on Feb. 1 last year while on their last day of bird watching in Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi. Authorities believe the Abu Sayyaf is holding them captive in Sulu.
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