Abu Sayyaf Militant Group Kills 18 Filipino Forces
KABUL: (MEP) A fierce clash has been erupted between the armed group militants Abu Sayyaf and Filipino soldiers in which at least 18 Filipino forces were killed and more than 50 others wounded on Saturday in southern Philippines.
The fighting erupted in the hinterlands bordering the towns of Tipo Tipo and Al-Barka on Basilan Island, AP reported citing three senior military authorities who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Local media reports said about 100 Abu Sayyaf fighters clashed with troops and four of the militants had been decapitated. The evacuation of wounded soldiers was continuing late on Saturday.
According to officials, the government troops had been deployed to kill or capture an Abu Sayyaf commander identified as Isnilon Hapilon, who has publicly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group and has been hunted for years for suspected involvement in a number of terrorist attacks.
Abu Sayyaf was founded in 1991 in Basilan, about 880km south of the capital, Manila.
