Soldier, 4 Abus killed; 9 wounded in Sulu clash

Patikul (outlined in red) in Sulu (Image from Google Maps)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — A soldier and four Abu Sayyaf bandits were killed in a 30-minute clash in Sitio Tambang, Barangay Kabbon Takas of Patikul, Sulu on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 7.

Lt. Col. Gerald Monfort, spokesperson of Joint Task Force Sulu, said troops belonging to the Army’s 32nd Infantry Battalion, exchanged gunfire with around 40 suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf under Subleader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan.

According to Monfort, civilian informants tipped off the troops about the bandits’ presence in the area.

The encounter occurred at 1:40 p.m., he added.

In the wake of the clash, four bandits and a soldier were killed. Another five bandits and four soldiers were also wounded.

The wounded soldiers were rushed for treatment at an Army hospital in Jolo.

But Brig. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, commander of the Army’s 1101st Brigade, said the body of only one of the four killed bandits were recovered by soldiers for forensic investigation.

“The scattered human flesh and bloodstains in the encounter site is indicative of enormous casualties [on the Abu side],” Nafarrete said.

Monfort said their informants reported about three more Abu casualties apart from the recovered body as a result of the clash.

Recovered from the scene of the armed encounter was an M-16 rifle used by the slain Abu Sayyaf bandit, personal belongings including backpacks, food provisions, and cooking utensils.

/atm