Zamboanga City”•Eight soldiers were wounded while the Abu Sayyaf Group suffered an undetermined number of casualties during a firefight in the hinterlands of Sulu, a top military official said Friday.
Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, head of the Western Mindanao Command, said the clash took place Wednesday in Barangay Buhanginan in Patikul, Sulu.
Another official said that, based on a DNA test, three foreign suicide bombers were killed in separate incidents in Indanan, Sulu.
Citing information from the Police Regional Office 11 Crime Laboratory, the Joint Task Force Sulu said there was a 99.9-percent match between the DNA samples of the young suicide bomber in the clash in Barangay Kan Islam on Nov. 5 and the female suicide bomber who exploded a bomb at the entrance gate of a military detachment in Barangay Kajatian on Sept. 8.
L. Col. Gerald Monfort said the young suicide bomber was identified as “Abduramil” or “Yousoph.” The female suicide bomber, who was believed to be Abduramil’s mother, was identified as Reda Mohammad Mahmud.
Sobejana said troops from the Joint Task Force Sulu were conducting security operations when they clashed with some 40 fully armed Abu Sayyaf bandits under the group of Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan and Radulan Sahiron.
Sobejana said the firefight lasted for about 40 minutes, after which the bandits fled dragging along their casualties.
He said the wounded soldiers were taken to Camp Teodulfo Bautista Station Hospital in Barangay Busbus, Jolo.
“I salute our gallant soldiers for their bravery and utmost dedication to their sworn duty, Sobejana said.
He said they will intensify the offensive to neutralize the remaining bandits in Sulu and “in all the provinces under the operational control of the command.”