TWO CHILDREN were killed and three other civilians were wounded in Barangay Igasan, Patikul on Saturday afternoon (May 25) when some 30 members of the kidnap-for-ranson Abu Sayyaf group attacked their community. Brig. Gen. Divino Rey C. Pabayo Jr., commander of Joint Task Force Sulu, said the bandit group was “enraged with the civilians for cooperating with” the military. “They were furious even to their own families whom they suspected of collaborating with our soldiers,” Mr. Pabayo said in a statement from the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom). “The death of the 2 innocent children and the wounding of 3 other civilians are indicative of the Abu Sayyaf’s desperate actions of sowing fear among the local populace. Hence, I urge the peace-loving Tausugs to strongly condemn this un-Islamic and treacherous acts of the Abu Sayyaf,” Mr. Pabayo said.

RESPONSE OPERATION
In the military’s response operations, WestMinCom reported that troops killed six Abu Sayyaf members and wounded seven others before the bandit group identified to be under Mundi Sawadjaan retreated. On the military side, WestMinCom said five soldiers “were slightly wounded,” including 2nd Lt. Christian Capiz, platoon leader of the Special Forces. Mr. Capiz, along with two other enlisted men, secured three children caught in the middle of the firefight. “I could have easily withdrawn my troops to a safer position, but I cannot leave behind the trapped and panicking children. So I ordered my men to hold their position and prevent the advance of the Abu Sayyaf at all cost,” Mr. Capiz said. Lt. Gen. Arnel B. Dela Vega, WestMinCom commander, said, “We deeply condemn this terroristic act of the Abu Sayyaf… Rest assured we will go after the remaining bandits and we will intensify security operations in the area.”

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