AFP overruns 2 MNLF Sulu camps

Government forces Sunday overran two camps of renegade Moro National Liberation Front fighters who earlier attacked civilian and military targets in Panamao and Talipao towns in Sulu that have left scores dead and wounded. Armed Forces public information office chief Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said there were no casualties reported on the side of Marine and Army personnel involved in the operations while the MNLF suffered undetermined number of casualties. Elements of the Marine Battalion Landing Teams 1 and 11 began assaulting Camp Jabal Uhod on Saturday night. He said MNLF fighters tried to defend the camp, which was finally overran by Marine soldiers 11 a.m. Sunday. “There were resistances offered by some 500 MNLF fighters," said Bacarro. The camp, also known as the Bitan-ag complex, serves as the base of Commander Ustadz Habier Malik, a staunch follower of detained Moro leader Nur Misuari. Marine spokesman Lt. Col. Ariel Caculitan said the MNLF forces fired mortar rounds on the Marine soldiers while assaulting the camp. “One of the battalion commanders said the mortars were fired towards them, the firefight was intense," he said. Quoting reports from the military’s Joint Task Force Comet headed by Brig. Gen. Ruben Rafael, Bacarro said the MNLF, headed by Malik, retreated after suffering casualties. “AFP units overran [the] Malik camp as a result of unprovoked attacks by MNLF group under commander Malik on military units and the town [hall] of Panamao…Bitan-ag [complex] was overran…11 am today (Sunday)," he said. At around 11:30 pm last Friday, MNLF fighters fired mortar rounds at the Panamao town hall and at the MBLT 11 headquarters, resulting in the killing of a child and wounding of another child. The shelling lasted for more than two hours. MNLF forces again attacked a Marine detachment also in the town at around 5:50 a.m. Saturday, leaving two soldiers dead and eight other soldiers wounded. Malik’s group retreated to the camp after five hours when military reinforcements arrived. In the nearby town of Talipao, also in Sulu, MNLF forces fired mortar rounds at the headquarters of the Army’s Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) around 9:40 a.m. Saturday, leaving six soldiers injured. Rafael said at least eight rebels were killed and 13 others were injured in the succeeding firefights that displaced a number of civilians. “We will continue our active defense mode," the official said. Bacarro said “sporadic" fighting has been reported since the Marine soldiers occupied near the camp as government forces continued pursuit operations against the group of Malik “to make them accountable for their actions." Last February, Malik prevented Metro Manila military commander Maj. Gen. Ben Mohammad Dolorfino and several of his companions from leaving the captured the camp after the Marine general held a dialogue with the MNLF. The MNLF allowed Dolorfino’s group to leave the camp two days later after getting the assurance that a tripartite meeting between MNLF, Organization of Islamic Conference and the government would push through in March. The meeting, which was reset later this month, was aimed at assessing the peace agreement forged by the MNLF and the government in 1996. The MNLF has complained that the government has reneged on its commitment under the pact. “Malik is now isolated and on his own. [The] other MNLF commanders are not in favor of the actions taken by Malik and expressed that they will not support Malik," said Bacarro, referring to the latest atrocities by Malik and his men. Bacarro also bared information that Malik has provided sanctuary to Dulmatin and Omar Patek, two of the three operatives of the Jema’ah Islamiyah, being pursued by government forces in Sulu since August last year. “Malik is also reported to have been providing sanctuary/shelter to Dulmatin and Patek," said Bacarro. Asked if Malik coddled the JI bombers in the captured camp, Bacarro said: “It was not indicated in the report." Last month, military officials admitted that a third JI operative – Zulkifli Bin Hir, alias Marwan – was holed up in Sulu. Marwan has a $5 million reward for his neutralization while Dulmatin and Patek, have $10 million and $1 million, respectively. The second MNLF camp was seized by elite Army forces at the village of Tiis in Talipao town. The camp is believed to be the base of the MNLF forces that earlier attacked the SOTG headquarters last Saturday. Bacarro said the camp was overrun by SOTG troops led by Lt. Col. Reynaldo Aquino at around 8:30 a.m. He said the operating SOTG elements are from the elite First Scout Ranger Regiment and Special Forces Regiment. Bacarro said MNLF forces briefly clashed with the assaulting soldiers. “[The] firefight lasted for 20 minutes," said Bacarro, adding that the troops are presently “clearing and securing" the seized camp. - GMANews.TV