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Troops
Assault Sayyaf Force, Rebels Killed
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| Philippine
special forces clashed with Abu Sayyaf members
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By
IOL correspondent in Southeast Asia, Kazi Mahmood
JAKARTA,
Feb. 3 (IslamOnline) - Fierce battles raged throughout the day on
Saturday in Maluso, Basilan as Philippine troops pursued Abu Sayyaf
Group (ASG) rebels holding an American missionary couple and a local
nurse, Martin and Gracia Burnham and Deborah Yap.
Reports
say soldiers killed at least six ASG guerrillas believed to be part
of the blocking force of Abu Sabaya, who has been reportedly
negotiating for the surrender of the Sayyaf leader.
American
military doctors stationed in Zamboanga City for the first of four
major war games scheduled this year treated five wounded government
soldiers, mostly from the elite Scout Rangers unit.
Fighting
started on Friday morning in Puente, Maluso and continued till dusk
on Saturday. The ASG men disengaged and hid in nearby forests during
the Friday fight, leaving five of their dead. Rangers caught up with
them and killed one more guerrilla. The five government men were
wounded in Saturday’s clashes.
The
ASG has frustrated the military in the Philippines since December
2001, forcing it to delay the rescue of the two captive Americans.
On
Saturday however, initial reports were quoted as claiming to have
sighted two women, one of them Caucasian, trying to escape on
horses, but ended up in the hands of another ASG band.
The
Filipino military on Saturday claimed that the ASG has been weakened
due to relentless army pursuit. The ASG force has whittled down from
700 strong to only 60, it said.
However,
the police said more Abu Sayyaf frontline men were hiding in tunnels
in the Sampinit forests, not too far from military positions.
During
the long fight against the Sayyaf group, the military said it
managed to seize 250 high-powered firearms, including 90 recoilless
rifles, a couple of 50-calibre machine guns and 2.62 machine guns.
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