Abu Sayyaf bandits kill 9 troops in Sulu ambush

(Updated 1:30 p.m.) Abu Sayyaf bandits killed nine soldiers and wounded two others in an ambush Thursday morning at Maimbung town in Sulu, a day after another clash in the island-province, a military spokesman said. Army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ernesto Torres said soldiers from the 33rd Infantry Battalion were riding a military truck on an "administrative movement" when they were ambushed by an undetermined number of gunmen at about 7:45 a.m. Thousands of troops are scouring the island-province of Sulu in search for the remaining leaders and members of the Abu Sayyaf, which authorities said have links with the Jemaah Islamiyah and the al-Qaeda terrorist networks. “It was a brief ambush. They were on an administrative movement at the time of the ambush," Torres said. The Army spokesman said gunmen under Radullan Sahiron – leader of the Abu Sayyaf in the Sulu – escaped shortly after the ambush and are subject of pursuit operations. Torres said they still do not know if the attackers suffered casualties but said pursuit operations have been launched. In an earlier interview with radio station dzBB, Torres said that apart from the Abu Sayyaf members of criminal groups and rogue elements of the Moro National Liberation Front were involved in the attack. "Initial indication shows combined groups were behind the ambush, because there are indications of participation by the Abu Sayyaf under Radullan Sahiron, lawless elements and rogue elements of the MNLF," Torres told dzBB radio in Filipino. He noted that the types of firearms used in the attack were known to be used by Sahiron's band. Last Wednesday, two platoons from the 33rd Infantry Battalion engaged an undetermined number of Abu Sayyaf rebels at Upper Sampunay in Parang town. An Army soldier was killed while five others were wounded in that incident. Earlier on Tuesday, two Marines were wounded in an encounter with extremist rebels at the vicinity of Mt. Tubora in Indanan town also in Sulu. - GMANews.TV