7 Abu Sayyafs, 3 Marines killed in Sulu encounter

By FROILAN GALLARDO
Special Correspondent .

Seven Abu Sayyaf rebels and three Marines were killed in a brief firefight in Patikul, Sulu island province last Friday.

Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command spokesperson Lt. Col. Gerry Besana said three Marines were wounded in the encounter that took place around 5:30 am in Barangay Timpook, Patikul town, Sulu on Friday.

Besama said the Marines also arrested seven residents during the encounter.

“We are sad to report that we lost three of our valiant marines during the course of the fight,”  Lt.Gen Arnel B. Dela Vega, Commander of the Armed Forces Western Command said in a statement.

Dela Vega said three Marines were also wounded in the 30-minute gunfight.

Besana said Marines from the 62nd, 61st, and 64th Marine Companies engaged the Abu Sayyaf rebels under sub-leaders Alnijar Ekit and Aldi Alun.

He said the Marines later found a body of an Abu Sayyaf fighter with an M14 rifle with seven ammunition magazines from the encounter site.

“We believe the Marines killed six more terrorists based on radio intercepts and from villagers accounts, Besana told Gold Star Daily by phone.

Besana said the Abu Sayyaf group that the Marines encountered belong to a faction of Radullan Sahiron, an Islamic militant that carried a US$ 1 million bounty for his role in the  May 2001 Dos Palmas kidnappings of three U.S. citizens, including Martin and Gracia Burnham, and 17 Filipinos from a tourist resort in Palawan.

He said  Abu Sayyaf leaders Alnijar Ekit and Aldi Alun are known followers of Sahiron in Patikul.

“They are known to reinforce the group of Sahiron if he calls for help. The result they became a bigger force,” Besama said.

He said three battalions of Marines and Special Forces have encircled the town of Patikul, where Sahiron is believed to be hiding.

Besama said the bodies of the Marines have been airlifted to Camp Navarro, headquarters of the Armed Forces Western Command in Zamboanga City Friday night.