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8 killed in clash between Marines, MNLF in Sulu


(Update) Five Marines and three Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) fighters were killed following a predawn clash Friday in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, a military spokesman said. A number of MNLF commanders, including Ustadz Habier Malik, were reportedly wounded in the same engagement. Lt. Col. Jonas Lumawag, spokesman for the Philippine Marines, said elements of the 2nd Marine Brigade engaged an undetermined number of MNLF fighters at Sitio Kupong in Kambing village in Kalingan Caluang town about 5 a.m. Friday. Apart from the five fatalities, the operating Marines also had eight wounded personnel, Lumawag said. He added that the MNLF also had a number of its fighters wounded, including four local commanders. Malik, who gained media mileage in February, was among those wounded, Lumawag said. As of posting time, troops were still operating against the MNLF fighters in the area. In February, the group of Malik prevented then Brig. Gen. Ben Mohammad Dolorfino and his group from leaving an MNLF territory in Sulu until he received assurances that a meeting about the 1996 deal would take place in Saudi Arabia between the government, the MNLF and the Muslim world's largest grouping, the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Dolofrino and his party were released after spending two nights inside the MNLF camp. - GMANews.TV
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