Two killed, four wounded in fresh clash between ASG and AFP in Sulu

By Ronron
February 20, 2007

A member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and a government soldier were killed in a fresh encounter late Monday evening between the ASG and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Sulu.

Military officials said four government troopers were also wounded in the firefight, which started at 10:30 pm at Barangay Tagbak, Indanan town, and lasted for an hour.

Brig. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu, commander of the Philippine Army’s First Scout Rangers Regiment, said the members of the Scout Rangers Company Class 163 were on a test mission when they encountered between 30 to 40 ASG members.

The rebels were believed to be under the command of ASG subleaders Isnilon Hapilon and Albader Parad.

Army spokesman Maj. Ernesto Torres, Jr. said the Scout Rangers were later reinforced by elements from the 2nd Scout Rangers Battalion and the 11th Light Armor Company.

Government troops recovered the body of the slain rebel whose identity is yet to be determined.

“Our troops believe they killed many bandits but they weren’t able to recover all the dead bodies due to darkness. Some may have already been buried by their retreating comrades,” Mapagu said in a phone interview.

Maj. Eugene Batara, spokesman of the AFP Western Mindanao Command, said the wounded troops were immediately brought to the Trauma Hospital at Camp Bautista inn Barangay Busbus, Jolo town for medical treatment, while the slain soldier was brought to Camp Asturias Station Hospital for proper disposition.

“The Army Scout Rangers continue to track and scour the encounter site as of (yesterday afternoon),” Torres said.

The AFP has beefed up its operations in Sulu, hoping to neutralize the ASG before the May 14 elections.

Earlier, the military scored against the terrorist group by killing its two top leaders, Khadaffy Janjalani and Jainal Antel Sali, Jr., alias Abu Solaiman, in separate encounters in the said island province./DMS