ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Three Abu Sayyaf bandits were killed while three soldiers were wounded in a clash in Tuburan town in Basilan on Sunday dawn.
Col. Rolando Bautista, chief of the Joint Task Group Basilan, said a dawn operation in the village of Campo Dos in Lamitan City was conducted to get Abdul Hassan Tanadjalun alias Bullet.
“As the troops were approaching the area, they were fired upon by the group,” Bautista said.
In the pursuit operations that followed, government troops clashed with at least 15 bandits in Lower Sinangkapan in nearby Tuburan town. The firefight lasted for 30 minutes.
After the encounter, troops recovered three bodies, including that of Tanadjalun’s.
Tanadjalun, also known as Bullet, Rey Cuebas Santos and Arian Sapii, was a member of the Abu Sayyaf’s Urban Terror Group (UTG) operating in Lamitan and Tuburan. He was involved in kidnapping and extortion, Bautista said.
Capt. Maria Rowena Muyuela, spokesperson of Western Mindanao Command, said three government troops were wounded in the clash. They were brought to the nearest hospital in Lamitan, but were later transferred to Camp Navarro General Hospital in Zamboanga City. SFM