2 soldiers, 13 ‘bandits’ killed in Marine base attack in Sulu

ZAMBOANGA City, Philippines—Two Marine soldiers and 13 suspected insurgents were killed while six soldiers were wounded when armed men attacked a military detachment in Talipao town in Sulu on Sunday morning.

Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang, spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command, said a new group known as Awliyah, believed to have links with the Abu Sayyaf Group, and rogue members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) attacked the 30th Marine Base detachment in the village of Kabungcol around 4:45 a.m. on Sunday.

Cabangbang said two soldiers were killed while six others were “slightly wounded.”

Cabangbang said around 50 members of the Awliyah, led by a certain Hatib Zacaria, attacked the Marine base.

The Marines fought back, forcing the armed men to withdraw.

Cabangbang said 13 bodies of suspected Awliyah members and seven high-powered firearms were recovered after the fighting.

But Chief Superintendent Felicisimo Khu, head of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations for Western Mindanao, believed the attackers to be rogue members of the MNLF under Jawalibal Ujod.

Khu identified three of the wounded as a certain Lieutenant Arrieta and Corporals Bausa and Ibarondo and Private First Class Dacumos.