BASILAN CLASHES
MILF confirms deaths of 3 members
By Julie Alipala
Mindanao Bureau
First Posted 22:08:00 12/01/2008
Filed Under: The Southern Campaign, Armed conflict
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—(UPDATE) The Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Basilan confirmed on Monday night ongoing skirmishes between government troops and the MILF rebels in at least two towns in Basilan, in which three Moro rebels were killed.
The MILF said the skirmishes in the two towns there did not involve Abu Sayyaf extremists but its guerrillas.
Colonel Rustico Guerrero, commander of the 1st Marine Brigade, earlier said that soldiers have been battling Abu Sayyaf gunmen in the towns of Tipo-tipo Central and Ungkaya Pukan since Sunday.
Guerrero earlier said an Abu Sayyaf gunman was killed in the clashes that had been raging until late afternoon Monday.
But Hadji Hassan Lamla of the MILF's Yakan City Committee said MILF forces were the ones that clashed with Marine soldiers.
Lamla also said three of their men died in the firefight in the village of Baguindan in Tipo-tipo Central.
As this developed, Basilan Vice Governor Al Rasheed Sakalahul said he received reports that armed men raided a Marine detachment in the village of Lagayas in Tuburan town and a militia outpost in the village of Kabobo in Lamitan City shortly before 6 p.m. Monday.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer tried to reach Guerrero but his phone was apparently turned off.
Lamla said the reported attack could be a retaliation for an earlier attack by the Marines on MILF territories in Tipo-tipo Central and Ungkaya Pukan.
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