RedBlueThoughts

Death, we are counting. Now, its rising. Soldiers being massacred in the islands. And the Leader remains adamant.

Its a war no body likes. But, the scent of blood makes everyone in a frenzy. Grizzled veterans dying by the wayside. And the Army being humbled.

This will lead to a rebellion, which the Pampango will find hard to extinguish.
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(UPDATE 2) 57 killed, 42 hurt in Sulu clashes
Army battalions off to southern province

By Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 12:51pm (Mla time) 08/10/2007
MANILA, Philippines — Three days of fighting between government forces and Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militants and their allies in the southern island province of Sulu has left 57 combatants killed and 42 others wounded, a military spokesman said Friday.

A nine-year-old boy, reportedly a son of an Abu Sayyaf commander, was also killed during one of four engagements.

He was caught in the crossfire when Abu Sayyaf members, assisted by rogue Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) rebels, ambushed Army troopers in Maimbung town on Thursday morning, said Lieutenant Colonel Bartolome Bacarro.

A total of 26 soldiers and 31 Abu Sayyaf fighters were killed, while 17 soldiers and 25 extremists have been wounded in the four incidents, Bacarro told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo.

Bacarro said two Army battalions would be sent to reinforce troops in Sulu, bringing to roughly 4,000 the number of forces running after the extremists, who are allegedly hiding Umar Patek, and Dulmatin, two bomb experts of the Jemaah Islamiyah terror network who allegedly masterminded the 2002 Bali bombings,.

On Thursday, 25 soldiers from the 33rd Infantry Battalion were killed, 10 in the Thursday morning ambush, and 15 others in an armed engagement also in Maimbung the afternoon of the same day.

It was the biggest single day casualty for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in recent years, Bacarro said.

“As to the efforts against the ASG [Abu Sayyaf group], this will not slacken. We will continue looking for them, hunting them down,” Bacarro said.

There were no reports of new clashes Friday.

The MNLF has confirmed that its men were involved in the clashes, but said it was an offshoot of an earlier military attack that killed a high-ranking leader and three others.

With reports from Julie Alipala, Inquirer; Associated Press; Originally posted at 9:44am