AFP pursues 100 Abus in Sulu clash

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  – The military continues to pursue the more than 100 Abu Sayyaf bandits that its troops encountered last Friday in Patikul, Sulu.  Thirteen soldiers and eight bandits were wounded in the firefight.

The wounded soldiers have been airlifted to a military hospital here. One of them was reported to be in critical condition.

“The ground forces have sustained its operation against Abu Sayyaf bandits it encountered Friday. There is a continuous pursuit operation,” Capt. Ma. Rowena Muyuela, spokesperson for the Western Mindanao Command, said.

Troops under the Joint Task Group Sulu were pursuing at least three combined groups, one of which was led by Radulan Sahiron, the most senior militant leader in Sulu, Muyuela said.

She said there was no information if Sahiron was among the fatalities during last Friday’s encounter, which broke out at about 11:50 a.m. in Barangay Buhanginan.

Aside from the eight fatalities, reports from the ground troops said several bandits were wounded in the clash.

The Sulu provincial government said the ongoing military offensive did not displace any civilians as the area of operation is far from residential communities.

Provincial information officer Sonny Abing said the local government was ready to extend assistance to civilians once the offensive escalates.

Meanwhile, authorities foiled an attempt by Abu Sayyaf bandits to bomb an oil depot in Isabela City, Basilan yesterday.

Police said a bandit hurled a bomb into the compound of Island Petroleum Corp. located in Barangay Tabuk at about 6:45 a.m.

City police chief Superintendent Albert Larubis said one of the depot workers found a plastic bag believed to contain the bomb.

A team from the Army’s K-9 unit and Explosive and Ordnance Division inspected the package and confirmed it contained an improvised explosive device (IED).

The bomb squad defused the IED, which was composed of a non-electric blasting cap, time fuse, and ammonium nitrate fuel oil.

Investigation showed the bomb try could be part of the bandits’ extortion activity.