6 killed, thousands flee fighting in Sulu

Six people have been killed and thousands forced to flee their homes as fighting continued between armed supporters of two politicians and government troops in Tongkil town in the southern Philippine province of Sulu. Sun-Star Zamboanga reported Thursday that the fatalities so far include a paramilitary trooper and five of the politician’s followers. It said the fighting started when a hundred gunmen, allegedly backers of a Tongkil mayoralty bet and his running mate, attacked the village of Sagumbal. The men reportedly burned several and a protestant church at around 2 a.m. Monday, then proceeded to the town center and strafed it with automatic gunfire. Tongkil Mayor Wahid Sahidulla appealed to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to assist the evacuees. The attackers, led by Saharan and Bantil, are reportedly holding camp in villages of Sigumbal, Duhul Sagih, and Mamad Island in Tongkil, Sulu. Saharan and Bantil are backing bets initially identified as Sahibul and Omar, who are running for mayor and vice mayor, respectively. Police and paramilitary troopers stationed in the town hall responded, and the sporadic fighting has continued up to Wednesday. On the other hand, the fighting forced residents, mostly women and children, to flee their homes, some of them fleeing to as far as Zamboanga City. Many of the evacuees were brought to nearby schools and temporarily housed there. - GMANews.TV