ZAMBOANGA CITY -- An Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandit was killed while four others were wounded in a clash between advancing troops and the ASG in the province of Sulu, military officials said Tuesday.
Col. Gerry Besana, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) information officer, said the latest clash happened around 3:30 p.m. Monday in Barangay Sandah, Patikul, Sulu.
Besana said the clash, which lasted for about five minutes, broke out after government troops chanced upon the ASG bandits led by Mundi Sawadjaan while conducting a focused operation in Barangay Sandah, Patikul.
The firefight resulted in the death of a follower of Sawadjaan. Four other ASG bandits were wounded based on the report of residents in the area.
Besana said the troops believed that more ASG bandits were wounded, while the military suffered no casualty. Additional troops were deployed to block the possible withdrawal routes of the ASG bandits and pursued the evading bandits, he added.
The group of Sawadjaan on Saturday attacked a community in Barangay Igasan, Patikul, resulting in the death of two children and injury to three others.
Lt. Gen. Arnel dela Vega, Westmincom chief, said the military has heightened its "focused operations against Abu Sayyaf militants, days after the spate of offensives in Sulu."
“We are gaining a foothold as we sustain our tactical offensives on the ground. This is evidenced by the number of militants slain in our successive armed engagements against the enemies in Sulu,” Dela Vega added. (PNA)
