Two ASG killed in Basilan

By Ronron
July 5, 2007

Two suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) were killed in an encounter Thursday morning against government troops in Basilan province, a military official said.

According to Col. Ramiro Alivio, commander of the 1st Marine Brigade, the clash happened at around 8:30 am yesterday (Thursday) in Barangay Bohebessey, Akbar, Basilan.

Alivio said two teams from the 8th Marine Battalion Landing Team, led by 1Lt. John dela Cruz and Staff Sergeant Danilo Cabacungan, were conducting combat patrol when they were engaged by around 30 Abu Sayyaf rebels.

The exchange of fires lasted for 20 minutes, resulting in the death of ASG members Kumander Panjang and Ladjii Mohammad, said Alivio.

No one was hurt or killed on the government side.

Alivio said that during clearing operations at the site, the government troops recovered three high-powered firearms – an M14, an M16 and an M177 – left behind by the fleeing rebels, as well as hundreds of ammunitions of assorted types.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has been running after the ASG, most of them believed to be in Sulu, in the hope of neutralizing them totally following the death of their top leader, Khadaffy Janjalani, in September of last year, and the second top leader, Jainal Antel Sali, alias Abu Solaiman.

Recently, the AFP said the ASG has elected its new leader in the person of Yasser Igasan, who used to be the money-man of the group.

The ASG is believed to have ties with Osama Bin Laden’s Al Qaeda network./DMS