Members of the Naval Special Operations Group clashed with suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits in Basilan Tuesday, a day after US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney visited the island province and inaugurated two major USAID-funded infrastructure projects in towns of Maluso and Lantawan.
Initial reports said four elite members of the Philippine Navy and six armed bandits were killed in an early morning clash on the small island of Lanhil, Lamitan City, off the main island of Basilan.
The national media quoted Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Ariel Caculitan as saying that those killed on the government side were Navsog members who were deployed to Lanhil Island, along with marines from Marine Battalion Landing Team 7.
The media quoted Cacullitan as further saying that two other Navsog personnel were wounded in the same clash.
A report from the Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) headquaters said troops were dispatched to the scene after receiving intelligence information that armed bandits were hiding in the island.
Major Eugenio Batara, Western Mindanao Command (WesMincom) spokesman, said members of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao launched Monday evening an operation against lawless elements reported to be at the vicinity Lanjil Island, Lamitan City, Basilan.
"This resulted to an encounter with undetermined number of fully armed men under a certain Abduraja Sadikal and his brother Faisal Sadikal," said Batara. "Four troops and 10 bandits were killed while 2 other soldiers were wounded."
Sadikal, tagged by the military as a wanted criminal for murder whose brothers reportedly followers of a former Zamboanga-based Abu Sayyaf leader Anwar Abubakar, suspect for the kidnapping of Marilyn Chua in Alicia, Zamboanga del Sur some years back, was among those killed.
Batara said the remains of the slain soldiers have been airlifted to Zamboanga City while those wounded were brought to Camp Navarro Hospital. "It has been an observation that these lawless elements do not leave their dead and wounded comrades," he said.
In Sulu, soldiers also encountered with suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf group in Barangay Tiis, Talipao, killing one bandit and wounding a trooper.
Operating elements under 1st Lt. Suscano of the Army's 15th Infantry Battalion were on combat patrol when they clashed with 20 armed bandits. The firefight lasted for about 30 minutes.
Initial reports said four elite members of the Philippine Navy and six armed bandits were killed in an early morning clash on the small island of Lanhil, Lamitan City, off the main island of Basilan.
The national media quoted Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Ariel Caculitan as saying that those killed on the government side were Navsog members who were deployed to Lanhil Island, along with marines from Marine Battalion Landing Team 7.
The media quoted Cacullitan as further saying that two other Navsog personnel were wounded in the same clash.
A report from the Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) headquaters said troops were dispatched to the scene after receiving intelligence information that armed bandits were hiding in the island.
Major Eugenio Batara, Western Mindanao Command (WesMincom) spokesman, said members of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao launched Monday evening an operation against lawless elements reported to be at the vicinity Lanjil Island, Lamitan City, Basilan.
"This resulted to an encounter with undetermined number of fully armed men under a certain Abduraja Sadikal and his brother Faisal Sadikal," said Batara. "Four troops and 10 bandits were killed while 2 other soldiers were wounded."
Sadikal, tagged by the military as a wanted criminal for murder whose brothers reportedly followers of a former Zamboanga-based Abu Sayyaf leader Anwar Abubakar, suspect for the kidnapping of Marilyn Chua in Alicia, Zamboanga del Sur some years back, was among those killed.
Batara said the remains of the slain soldiers have been airlifted to Zamboanga City while those wounded were brought to Camp Navarro Hospital. "It has been an observation that these lawless elements do not leave their dead and wounded comrades," he said.
In Sulu, soldiers also encountered with suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf group in Barangay Tiis, Talipao, killing one bandit and wounding a trooper.
Operating elements under 1st Lt. Suscano of the Army's 15th Infantry Battalion were on combat patrol when they clashed with 20 armed bandits. The firefight lasted for about 30 minutes.
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