Soldier killed, 3 hurt in Sulu clash with Abus

ZAMBOANGA CITY – A soldier was killed while three other government troopers were wounded in an encounter with Abu Sayyaf bandits in Patikul, Sulu yesterday.

The military said soldiers of the 6th Special Forces Battalion clashed with the bandits in Barangay Igasan at around 11:30 a.m. The firefight lasted for around 20 minutes.

The identities of the victims were withheld pending notification of their family members.

Col. Gerry Besana, Western Mindanao Command spokesman, said the wounded were brought to a military hospital at Camp Teodulfo Bautista.

Besana said the bandits also suffered an undetermined number of casualties.

“Our forces have yet to determine if the group they encountered was with Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan... There is no information yet as to the Abu Sayyaf group our forces encountered,” Besana said.

He said air strikes targeting the direction where the bandits escaped were launched.

Meanwhile, in Laguna, a New People’s Army rebel suspected of burning construction equipment in Quezon last week was killed in a firefight with soldiers in Sitio Pinamintian, Barangay Buenaventura, Luisiana yesterday.

Two improvised bombs, bomb materials, magazines for M16 and eight cell phones were among those recovered at the scene.

Pursuit operation for the rebel are ongoing.