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Abu Sayyaf kills 6 soldiers in Basilan – military


(Updated 3:31 p.m.) Members of the notorious Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) on Sunday killed at least six soldiers in Basilan, Mindanao, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said Sunday.

In a text message to reporters, military spokesman, Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc disclosed that six soldiers from the 64th Infrantry Battalion died after a 45-minute firefight with the Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists.

The soldiers were conducting a security patrol in Sitio Mompol of Libug village around 7:30 a.m. when they clashed with some 20 heavily armed bandits.

According to Cabunoc, the slain soldiers—including two 2nd lieutenants—were deployed to secure the construction of the Basilan Circumferential Road project in the area.

"I am saddened by this senseless violence against our soldiers who are helping deliver public services for the people," said Col. Rolando Bautista, the Commander of the Army's 104th Brigade.

According to Cabunoc, the military is currently conducting pursuit operations against the bandits, who are said to be led by a certain Radzmi Jannatul.

"I will press criminal charges against these bandits who are harrassing the security forces that are deployed to protect the workers of the Saudi-assisted 64-kilometer road project," Bautista added.

In an interview with Agence France-Presse, regional military spokesperson Captain Rowena Muyuela said there were also "most likely... undetermined casualties on the Abu Sayyaf side."

The Basilan incident came after the military launched an offensive against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu over the weekend.

Government forces had been reinforced in Mindanao after the ASG threatened to behead two German hostages held captive since April. The hostages were later released.

On Saturday troops battled about 60 Abu Sayyaf fighters in Jolo and even used helicopter gunships to blast their positions, the military said. No casualties have been reported.

However, Muyuela could not say if the latest attack in Basilan was related to the violence in Jolo.— Rouchelle R. Dinglasan with a report from Agence France-Presse/BM, GMA News
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