By Roy Ramos
ZAMBOANGA CITY
The death toll from five hours of heavy fighting between the Abu Sayyaf and government soldiers in the Philippines Muslim south has climbed to 15, with around 58 people wounded, according to a military official.
Joint Task Force Sulu Commander Col. Allan Arrojado told The Anadolu Agency on Saturday that 10 Abu Sayyaf and five soldiers had been killed in the first serious engagement since a "law enforcement operation" was launched on the back of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant-linked group's release of two German hostages.
He added that 28 soldiers had been injured, along with 30 Abu Sayyaf in the fighting on the troubled island province of Sulu, in the country's far south.
He identified three of the Abu Sayyaf fatalities as sub-commander Hairullah Asbang, Hamer Absara and Beting Jakk - the brother-in-law of the group's leader Radullon Sahiron.
Sahiron is described in military reports as a one armed, horse riding Muslim rebel leader who reportedly took control of the organization following the death of previous leader Khadaffy Janjalani in Sept. 2006.
Arrojado added that they are still verifying the names of others killed and wounded.
"All our WIA [wounded in action] and KIA [killed in action] are still at Camp General Teodolfo Bautista [in Sulu]. Two more WIA are still to be brought out but their wounds are minors. All three seriously wounded were airevac [air-evacuated] around 10:50 p.m. [Friday]," Arrojado said.
He added that the army had finished its clearing operations around 03.00 Saturday (21.00 Friday Turkish time) after the Air Force had flown its last close-air support mission.
According to the commander, soldiers had encountered about 300 gunmen led by Sahiron in a series of clashes that lasted for five hours.
Major Edilberto Aramponi, Sulu's civil-military operations officer, said that the first clash in the village of Bud Bunga started at 13:50 and another erupted at 16:30.
Aramponi added that the incident initially started when around 150 soldiers of the elite Army Scout Rangers' 3rd Battalion had engaged with the Abu Sayyaf
During the fighting, he said the army had been attacked with grenade launchers.
The Abu Sayyaf has in previous months posted clips on YouTube, showing its allegiance to ISIL.
It continues to hold foreigners - including two European nationals - hostage in the predominantly Muslim southern Philippines.
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