1 soldier, 9 Abu Sayyaf killed in Sulu

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – One soldier and 9 Abu Sayyaf members were killed in a gun battle in Patikul, Sulu, on Thursday, July 7, the military said.

Government troops belonging to the Army’s 45th infantry battalion were attacked by the Abu Sayyaf while on patrol in Barangay Kabuntakas, Patikul. The Army sent reinforcements to the soldiers and the firefight was still ongoing as of 7 pm Thursday.

Regional military spokesman Major Filemon Tan told reporters one soldier was killed and 6 others were wounded.

Military intelligence reports later determined that 9 Abu Sayyaf members were also killed and 13 others wounded, he added.

“Continuous indirect fire support and air strikes are being done and additional troops were deployed,” Tan said. 

In Basilan, a running gun battle between Army soldiers and the Abu Sayyaf that began Wednesday evening, July 6, resumed early morning Thursday in two towns in the province.

The gun battles in various villages in the towns of Ungkaya Pukan and Al-Barka erupted Wednesday at 8pm and lasted for 5 hours, the military said. Fighting resumed 7:00 am on Thursday.

The renewed attacks in these strongholds of the Abu Sayyaf came barely a week after newly appointed Armed Forces chief of staff General Ricardo Visaya vowed to “finish” the terrorist group. He retires in December 2016.

“Our operations against the Abu Sayyaf will be unrelenting,” Visaya said upon assuming command of the military last July 1. “We will hunt them down and finish them.”

The group was behind the recent beheading of two Canadians held captive in Sulu. – with reports from Richard Falcatan and Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com