PH gov’t to verify MILF presence in Basilan clash
Members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front AP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines —The Philippine government on Wednesday said it would have to check if members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were mistakenly killed in a military operation against the Abu Sayyaf last week.
“The operations undertaken by the military in Basilan was in pursuit of the Abu Sayyaf Group involved in terrorism in the province. Investigation is ongoing to verify if there were indeed MILF elements among the casualties,” Presidential Teresita “Ging” Deles said in a text message to media.
Deles assured that if the reports are true, the government would look into existing ceasefire mechanisms to investigate and determine possible courses of action.
Media reports on Tuesday quoted MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghazali Jaafar saying that several MILF members were killed in the raid against the Abu Sayyaf.
On Saturday the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said two soldiers and five Abu Sayyaf militants were killed in a clash in Basilan. Two days after, two more militants were shot dead in a raid by police commandos.
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