2 dead, 2 wounded in fresh fighting in Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY – An Abu Sayyaf militant and an army soldier were killed in fierce clashes in the southern province of Sulu, officials said Tuesday, adding two other infantrymen were wounded in the fighting.

Maj. Gen. William Gonzales, commander of the 11^th Infantry Division, identified the slain soldier as Pfc. Jay Clint Pasingan and the wounded as Sgt. Michel Bagunu and Pfc. Celestino Tano.

He said the dead militant was only identified by his alias Omar Yakan, a follower of Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Ellam Nasirin whose group was behind the January 25 ambush of a military truck in Patikul town that killed a Muslim soldier, Pvt. Joefrazen Tawasil, a member of the 45^th Infantry Battalion. 

“One terrorist was killed following an all-out offensive operations launched by the Joint Task Force – Sulu against the Abu Sayyaf bandits in the village of Bangkal in Patikul town. One soldier, Private First Class Jay Clint Pasingan was reported killed in the incident, while two more soldiers identified as were wounded, but they are now in stable condition at Camp General Teodulfo Bautista Station hospital in the capital town of Jolo,” Gonzales said.

He said troops tracked down the group of Nasirin and clashed with the militants and killed one of them. Soldiers also recovered the slain militant’s Korean-made K3 light machine gun or squad automatic weapon which is also being used by the army.

It was unknown whether the weapon was taken from a soldier during a previous clash.

Gonzales said the operation against the Abu Sayyaf is continuing. “All troops in Patikul are on high alert as the JTF Sulu ground forces conduct pursuit operations to neutralize the remaining members of the said terrorist group,” he said.

“We will remain relentless in our operations to finish off the Abu Sayyaf group, and we will do our very best to bring peace in the region. Our efforts to pursue peace and development in Sulu will only be possible with the active participation and cooperation of our people, who are the ultimate reason why we are serving in this part of the country,” he added. (Mindanao Examiner)