text HADER GLANG
A suspected sub-leader of the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group was killed in a clash with marines in the southern island of Sulu, ahead of the joint RP-US anti-terrorism training exercise, the military said.
Troops from the 3rd Marine Brigade raided a hideout of suspected Abu Sayyaf men early Tuesday in the town of Patikul, one of the sites in the upcoming Balikatan (shoulder to shoulder), triggering a brief firefight.
Killed was identified as a certain Apay Asakil, an alleged ASG sub-leader, reportedly operating in the area involved in the infamous Sipadan Island hostage-taking in 2000.
Sulu-based Marine Brigade commander Bernie Juancho Savan said military operatives recovered the body of Asakil along with an M-16 rifle. He said no casualties were reported on the government side.
Earlier, unidentified gunmen strafed worshippers inside a mosque in Busbus town, killing one and wounding 19 others. It was not known if the attack was connected to the killing of a military agent last month in the area.
Slain was Marine Sergeant Benjamin Bajao, who was shot at close range by still unidentified gunmen, who fled with his .45 caliber pistol and other personal belongings. Reports said the soldier was part of the outfit tracking down the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu, whose leaders carry huge amount of money as reward.
Abu Sayyaf has been blamed for a wave of bombings in the south and Manila since 2002. The group claimed responsibility for the series of bomb attacks in the Philippines, including the 2004 bombing of a ferry near Manila that killed more than 100 people.
Washington offered as much as $5 million bounty for known top Abu Sayyaf leaders, including Khadaffy Janjalani. Philippine government also put up P100 million rewards for the capture of the group's leaders and their members dead or alive. (ZS)
No comments:
Post a Comment