Manila (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The death toll stands at 52 following clashes yesterday between the military and militants from Abu Sayyaf, the Philippine fundamentalist group linked to Al Qaeda. This latest wave of violence took place on Jolo island to the South: among the victims 25 soldiers, 27 militants. Sources maintain that exponents of MILF, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, also took part in the ambush.
According to Majar Eugene Batara, spokesman for the military’s Western Mindanao Command, the battle erupted yesterday morning when a group of militants ambushed a convoy and the way to Maimbung market. Overnight helicopters intervened bombarding rebel positions; today calm has returned also because the army has suspended operations out of respect for Friday prayers, Muslims holy day.
At the end of the battle there were numerous fundamentalists wounded, 10 army soldiers. The military spokesman confirmed the number of dead based on intelligence reports, but there is no concrete proof given that as they retreated the militants took both wounded and dead along with them.