ZAMBOANGA CITY (Zamboanga Journal / 02 Aug) At least 3 Abu Sayyaf militants were killed in fierce clashes in the southern Philippine island of Jolo, where local security forces, backed by US military intelligence, mounted fresh offensive against the group blamed for the spate of terror attacks and killings in the restive region, officials said on Wednesday.
Officials said fighting erupted on Wednesday in the hinterlands of Indanan town where troops had cornered a still undetermined number of Abu Sayyaf militants. At least two Abu Sayyaf gunmen and five soldiers were also wounded in the fighting that began Tuesday night, said Army Col. Antonio Supnet, of the Southern Command.
"Three terrorists were reported killed and two more are wounded. Five government soldiers are also injured in the fighting in Indanan town where we cornered a number of Abu Sayyaf members," Supnet told the Zamboanga Journal.
He said military intelligence reports suggested that two Jemaah Islamiya leaders Umar Patek and Dulmatin, blamed as behind the 2002 Bali bombings, were on the island.
Officials said fighting erupted on Wednesday in the hinterlands of Indanan town where troops had cornered a still undetermined number of Abu Sayyaf militants. At least two Abu Sayyaf gunmen and five soldiers were also wounded in the fighting that began Tuesday night, said Army Col. Antonio Supnet, of the Southern Command.
"Three terrorists were reported killed and two more are wounded. Five government soldiers are also injured in the fighting in Indanan town where we cornered a number of Abu Sayyaf members," Supnet told the Zamboanga Journal.
He said military intelligence reports suggested that two Jemaah Islamiya leaders Umar Patek and Dulmatin, blamed as behind the 2002 Bali bombings, were on the island.
"We have reports that the two JI bombers are in Jolo, but we cannot say if they were with the group of Abu Sayyaf terrorists that we are fighting now. It is difficult to say that Patek and Dulmatin are fighting soldiers alongside with the Abu Sayyaf group," Supnet said.
Troops were also pursuing Khadaffy Janjalani, the chieftain of the Abu Sayyaf group, he said. Supnet did not say how many troops were involved in the offensive, but the Abu Sayyaf militants in Jolo are estimated to be less than 100.
Supnet said an undetermined number of civilians have fled their homes in Indanan town because of the presence of Abu Sayyaf terrorists. "The civilians are fleeing their homes because of the Abu Sayyaf. But many civilians are helping the military by giving information about the terrorists and their locations," he said.
He said the US military is also helping in the campaign by providing intelligence to the Philippine military. "Friends in the US military are helping the military by providing us intelligence. They are not involved in combat operation," Supnet said.
Commander Kathy Wright, a spokesperson for the US military, said American soldiers were also providing life-support system in Jolo island. "We are helping in the medical evacuation of wounded soldiers. The US military is not directly involved in any combat operation in Jolo, but we continue to assist and advice the Philippine military on the fight against terrorism on the request of the Filipino government," she said in a separate interview.
A US EP3 Orion reconnaissance plane was reported flying over Zamboanga and Jolo on Tuesday night, but Wright said the aircraft was only gathering weather data for the Philippine military. "Law abiding people have nothing to fear about the plane. It was just gathering weather data and forecast for the Philippine military," she said.
Major General Gabriel Habacon, chief of the Southern Command, ordered troops to assault the terrorist groups after the military traced the Abu Sayyaf in Indanan town.
Troops were also pursuing Khadaffy Janjalani, the chieftain of the Abu Sayyaf group, he said. Supnet did not say how many troops were involved in the offensive, but the Abu Sayyaf militants in Jolo are estimated to be less than 100.
Supnet said an undetermined number of civilians have fled their homes in Indanan town because of the presence of Abu Sayyaf terrorists. "The civilians are fleeing their homes because of the Abu Sayyaf. But many civilians are helping the military by giving information about the terrorists and their locations," he said.
He said the US military is also helping in the campaign by providing intelligence to the Philippine military. "Friends in the US military are helping the military by providing us intelligence. They are not involved in combat operation," Supnet said.
Commander Kathy Wright, a spokesperson for the US military, said American soldiers were also providing life-support system in Jolo island. "We are helping in the medical evacuation of wounded soldiers. The US military is not directly involved in any combat operation in Jolo, but we continue to assist and advice the Philippine military on the fight against terrorism on the request of the Filipino government," she said in a separate interview.
A US EP3 Orion reconnaissance plane was reported flying over Zamboanga and Jolo on Tuesday night, but Wright said the aircraft was only gathering weather data for the Philippine military. "Law abiding people have nothing to fear about the plane. It was just gathering weather data and forecast for the Philippine military," she said.
Major General Gabriel Habacon, chief of the Southern Command, ordered troops to assault the terrorist groups after the military traced the Abu Sayyaf in Indanan town.
“The Southern Command has already designed an extensive offensive plot for the capture of these elements to prevent them from performing terrorist activities and permanently disperse them in the region. We have been planning and working for months to find and track the terrorist leadership and the time is now,” he said in a statement.
US soldiers were training Filipino troops in anti-terrorism warfare and involved in many humanitarian missions in the south. A small contingent of American troops is also in Jolo island.
Washington listed the Abu Sayyaf as a foreign terrorist organization and was implicated in the kidnapping of three US citizens in 2001, two of them were killed during captivity.
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