Abu Sayyaf death count in Sulu clashes balloons to 14

ZAMBOANGA City, Philippines - The death toll from the clashes between Abu Sayyaf bandits and government troops in Patikul, Sulu has doubled to 14, military officials said Thursday.

Aside from the fatalities and 19 wounded bandits, troops also overrun two camps of the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sitio Dayundangan, Barangay Buhanginan.

The military, meanwhile, confirmed that its number of wounded soldiers has increased to 16 soldiers and the death count remained at two since Wednesday’s offensive in the mountains of Barangay Tanum.

Capt. Maria Rowena Muyuela, spokesperson of Armed Forces of the Philippines' Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said that a series of clashes took place after the troops' offensive on Wednesday morning.

The troops clashed with the group of Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan.

Muyuela said that according to Joint Task Group Sulu (JTGS) commander Col. Alan Arrojado, the clashes continued on Thursday at around 9 a.m. as troops catch up with the fleeing bandits.

“Camps discovered have traces of bloodstains, which indicated the Abu Sayyaf suffered heavy casualties,” Muyuela quoted Arrojado as saying.

Muyuela said Arrojado's group believes that Sawadjaan were among those wounded.

Six of the slain bandits have been identified as a certain Musar Sawadajaan, said to be a relative of the Abu Sayyaf leader Sawadjaan; Berhamin Jawhari, Jani Madjid, Adzmar Muhammad, Ompoy Uran, and Mussal Jawhari.

The other slain bandits have yet to be identified. They are believed to be natives of Luuk town.