Over a dozen troops wounded in Sayyaf clash

ZAMBOANGA CITY – More than a dozen soldiers were wounded in fierce clashes Friday with Abu Sayyaf rebels in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, military intelligence reports said.

It said the fighting erupted near the village of Danag in Patikul town after government troops raided an Abu Sayyaf hideout. It was not immediately known if there were enemies killed in the fighting, but sporadic clashes had been reported in several villages.

Among those wounded in the clashes have been identified as Lt. Col. Mario Jacinto, Sgts. Edgar Pahunang, Henry Paguyo, Abdurahman Ladjahasan, Randy Rivera, Jul Amin Baridgi, Rey Saluag, Baguio Balansi, Bernard Rey Tamparon, and Anthony Remotin.

And Cpls. Jerahkim Cuello and Juverey Guia, Pfcs. Gleen Richard Ponse, Jojo Anlas and Pvt. Isagani Moracilla – all from the 10th Infantry Battalion.

The Western Mindanao Command did not issue any statement about the fighting, which occurred just a day after security forces captured 3 Abu Sayyaf fighters – Jemar Asgari, 22; Alden Asmad, 29; and Dems Abtal, 29, - in the village of Lower Sinumaan in Talipao town and the trio was behind the spate of killings of soldiers and policemen in Jolo town.

Just last Tuesday, Abu Sayyaf rebels also killed 2 army intelligence soldiers - Corporals Lamustre and Apiado - in a broad daylight in the village of Igasan in Patikul town. Both soldiers were members of the 10th Infantry Battalion who were sent to the village of Taglibi to gather intelligence about the Abu Sayyaf and its hostages.

The Abu Sayyaf has threatened to kill their 2 Canadian hostages John Ridsdel, 68, and Robert Hall, 50; and a Norwegian man Kjartan Sekkingstad who were kidnapped along with a Filipina, Maritess Flor, in September last year on Samal island in Davao del Norte province.

The rebels demanded P21 million for each of the three hostages and said it would execute the hostages if ransoms are not paid until April 8. The captives have appealed – in a new video clip uploaded on Facebook - to their governments to save their lives.

Security officials have kept a tight lid on the progress of military operations against the Abu Sayyaf. The Western Mindanao Command under General Mayoralgo dela Cruz or his spokesmen also did not give any statement about the latest threat by the Abu Sayyaf to kill the hostages.

Ridsdel, a consultant for international miner TVI, has appealed to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Pierre James Trudeau to save him and the other hostages.  Ridsdel and his companions were all shirtless and in handcuffs, and appeared frail and bearded in the video and guarded by masked gunmen – one them said they “will do something terrible against these captives.”

Hall and Sekkingstand, 56, also made a similar appeal and told their governments to get them all out fast. The woman did not speak. (With a report from Ely Dumaboc)

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