Soldier killed, 10 others wounded in Abu Sayyaf ambush in Sulu

One soldier was killed and 10 others were wounded in a pre-dawn ambush staged by Abu Sayyaf bandits in Patikul, Sulu, a Mindanao-based military official said Thursday.

The ambush was staged on the second day of the Mindanao-wide martial law declared by President Rodrigo Duterte following the armed conflict in Marawi City caused by the presence of Maute group, who are allied with the Abu Sayyaf.

AFP Western Mindanao Command spokesperson Capt. Jo-ann Petinglay said the ambushed soldiers were acting on reports that armed men with hostages were spotted in Barangay Tadu Bagwa at 5:20 a.m.

"They were acting on an information na meron daw info na armado na dala-dalang kidnap victim, so kaninang madaling araw nag-jump off sila to react on the information and along the way nung sila ay papalapit na they were fired upon by the armed group na nagresulta sa encounter," she said.

Pentinglay said the encounter is considered as an ambush since the troops were "proceeding to an area to rescue the victim and they were fired upon."

She said the military's medical team tried to revive one of the casualties who eventually passed away due to the severity of his wounds.

Petinglay did not mention how many from the Abu Sayyaf were killed or injured.

Citing a report from Joint Task Force Sulu commander Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Petinglay said about 15 Abu Sayyaf members ambushed the military in the 15- to 20-minute firefight.

She added Sobejana was unable to report the identities of the kidnap victims held by the Abu Sayyaf in the encounter.

Petinglay said pursuit operations against the Abu Sayyaf were launched following the encounter.  —Joseph Tristan Roxas/KBK, GMA News