Seven soldiers of the Army’s Special Forces were hurt in clashes with the Abu Sayyaf while two rebel leaders were killed in Basilan on Friday, the military said.
A three-hour firefight ensued between the members of the 4th Special Forces Battalion and some 40 rebels under Abu Sayyaf leader Eric Ajibon in Barangay (village) Macalang in Al-Barka around 8 a.m., said Western Mindanao Command spokesperson Maj. Filemon Tan.
Of the seven government troops, five were enlisted personnel while two were from the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit.
All injured personnel sustained minor injuries from shrapnels of M203 grenade launchers and were immediately brought to Camp Navarro General Hospital in Zamboanga City, Tan said.
Two of the Abu Sayyaf members killed were sub-leader Eric Arjibon, an expert in bomb making, who was tagged as responsible in a series of bombings against government troops and business establishments in Basilan; and alias Aiyan.
Tan said the bodies of the two were brought to the local police. RAM
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